Muted-meadows - Lina - Tumblr Blog

kunikuzushi.

❦ 𝚃𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚂𝚘𝚊𝚛 ❦

❧ Pairings: Xiao x Reader (GN)

❧ Summary: While looking for him, you stumble upon Xiao in his bird form. You help him with his feathers as you find out something he was keeping to himself

❧ Contents: Hurt/comfort, bird!Xiao, fluff, wing grooming, a kiss at the end

❧ Word count: 2.9k

❧ Author’s Note: Xiao in his bird form is an obsession :)

Xiao wasn’t at Wangshu Inn when you got there.

The fireworks were long over, the night was still and quiet in the Marsh. You’d bidden your goodbyes to your friends, vague in your explanation of where you were going and giddy in your trek towards the inn. You weren’t naive to Xiao’s duty—you knew this night was one of the most violent ones in terms of demonic activity, which meant that it was the busiest night of his thankless task.

You knew, so when Xiao told you that he might not be able to spend time with you, you understood perfectly; getting your hopes up was inevitable, though, especially since you had come from hours of laughter and celebration in the Harbor.

Truly, the only thing you wanted was a moment of respite with Xiao. Reminding him of how thankful you were for his efforts was something you tried to do often, whether through words or gentle caresses he wasn’t used to yet.

Those hopes were dashed like a candle flame against a storm. Your shoulders fell when you took in the empty balcony, the plate of Almond Tofu suddenly feeling heavy in your hands. Leaving it on the railing, perfectly balanced out of habit, you stared out into Liyue’s scenery in hope of spotting flashes of green and black; knowing he was up and fighting would bring you some sort of comfort.

You saw nothing, though, and you couldn’t help but worry. Was he doing alright? What if his karma was giving him more trouble than usual? What if the monsters were too much for him and–

No.

You shook your head, shoving that thought aside immediately. Xiao was strong, he had to be alright… right?

The temptation to call for him was like an itch, a twitch of your fingers. Only once should be enough and when he came, your mind would be at ease. You’d explain to him that you were simply fretting a little and then you would wish him good luck.

“Xiao?”

A second passed, then two, then three, then ten. There was no push of Anemo behind you, no voice to confirm that he’d heeded your call—there was only the breeze and the rustling of the leaves filling the silence, with your increasing heartbeat soon joining in.

He didn’t answer, and if you weren’t worried before, you were definitely worried now. There was no way in Teyvat you’d stay there and do nothing, not when there was a chance that Xiao was hurt or in need of help.

Making sure you had everything you needed, you headed out.

————— ୨୧ —————

Searching for Xiao was harder than you expected.

Constantly calling his name coupled with questions of his whereabouts was not only fruitless, but it attracted monsters to your location. One horde was all you could manage before you decided to look for him in silence and prayed to the Archons that you’d somehow find him.

The peaks of Liyue were tall and intimidating to look at from below, and thinking about scaling them made you wish that you were able to teleport like Xiao. Fortunately, Jueyun Karst was eerily quiet, so you told yourself that you would only climb if you heard movement from above.

After minutes of checking caves, nearby enemy camps and trying to find elemental traces, you stopped dead on your tracks when you heard… something, right above you. You couldn’t pinpoint what the noise was, and it was extremely soft, akin to leaves in the wind but not quite. There was no certainty that it was Xiao; it could very well be an enemy, but a possibility was better than nothing.

You were silent and careful both as you climbed, making sure you wouldn’t alert whatever was up there, if it even was something alive. The added effort of controlling your breathing tired you when you were nearly at the top, and you didn’t dare look down.

The strange noises of movement were still audible, which meant your efforts had paid off. The second you were close enough, you peeked over the edge of the stone; it took all of your willpower not to gasp at the sight that greeted you.

Right in front of you, under the moonlight and perched atop of a rock, was the most beautiful bird you’d ever seen. Its back was to you, but it was preening its feathers and that gave you a wonderful view of them—they were a dark green, with hints of turquoise underneath and fading to gold at the tips. While some of them were mangled and bent at awkward angles, the wings were still majestic and a part of you felt as if you weren’t supposed to be looking at this.

It was too breathtaking, too gorgeous and bewitching, and your first thought was that it had to be an adeptus. There was no other explanation for its beauty and size.

Gathering yourself, you pulled your body up as carefully as you could, using the fact that the bird wasn’t looking at you and was busy to your advantage. Apparently, though, the Archons had had enough of giving you a streak of luck, because as soon as your second foot touched solid ground, pebbles were pushed behind you and down into the ground below, which was enough noise to startle the bird into looking at you.

Gaze locked on its torso out of respect, you didn’t move, not even when you saw how its demeanor changed the second it laid its eyes on you. The previously relaxed feathers were now pulled close to its body and you could tell it was preparing to move its wings, either to fly away or scare you off. You took a step closer, slow and steady, not because you wanted to make things worse but because being so close to the edge made you more nervous.

The bird—adeptus?—didn’t take kindly to this, immediately spreading out its wings and letting out a low hiss. Even through your panic, you couldn’t help but think that it was still beautiful. Looking up in order to look at it directly in the eyes, an apology and words of reassurance brewing on your tongue, your heart just stopped.

Its eyes were pools of pure amber with a single black pupil in the center, as piercing and sharp as the spear he used. Your own eyes narrowed in recognition, unspoken threat all but forgotten, and if the eyes weren’t enough, there was a purple diamond in between that confirmed it for you.

“Xiao?” you asked softly, even if you were completely sure.

The name garnered another reaction from him; he immediately looked away, even more tense than before, and began flapping his wings to take off.

“Wait, no!” you called, trotting up to him before he left. “Don’t go, please.”

Xiao stopped and gave you a glance. You pleaded silently, a chaos of emotions swirling inside you; surprise, shock, relief, happiness, amazement. Finally and with a huff, he tucked his wings away, breaking eye contact but staying in place; he appeared smaller, almost bashful, and nothing like the intimidating display he’d given you earlier.

Without a word, you tested the waters by approaching and sitting down on the rock, which was big enough for the two of you. He didn’t escape, much to your relief, but he seemed uncomfortable, what with how he shifted in place and accommodated his wings.

“Are you okay?” you inquired and it was difficult to understand his silence like this, with his face turned away. The air was easily breathable, the wind was refreshing, so his karma wasn’t acting up, which was a good thing and the one that had worried you the most. Xiao didn’t appear to be injured either, now that you could take a better look at him; ignoring the unkept feathers, everything else looked perfectly fine and healthy.

So, if he was alright, one question remained: why?

Why didn’t he answer your calls? Why was he in bird form? Why was he so aggressive when he first saw you? Why was he ignoring you now? Why, why, why?

You wished you could have all of those answers, but Xiao was clearly not in a talking mood at the moment, if he could even talk in this form. He shifted again and after what seemed to be an inner battle, he finally reached under one of his wings and plucked out a feather, dropping it to the ground; some tension left him once he was done.

Right. You’d interrupted his preening when you found him. Was that the reason—or one of them—for him being uncomfortable?

“Xiao, I can help you, if you’d like me to. May I?”

He turned to you and stared; you smiled. With the bird equivalent of a sigh, he nodded and turned around so his back was to you. His long, feathered tail ended up on your lap. Then, almost shyly, he spread his wings for you.

“I’m going to touch you now, okay?” you announced. It was something you always did, for his sake, to prevent him from jumping and flinching and stressing out. In the dead of night, when the world was asleep and the two of you were huddled close on a bed, you always murmured what you’d do at first, until he relaxed in your arms. Let it be caressing his hair or placing gentle kisses on his lips and his cheeks, you made sure he was okay with everything you did and you had never taken it too far.

The most you’d done was have a heated make-out session and you wouldn’t ask more of him.

Taking his silence as an answer, you ran your fingers down one of his wings, almost gasping at how soft it was. It reminded you of his hair, equally soft and somehow well-kept. You used your other hand to caress his neck, down to his back, but you stopped when his entire body shuddered.

“Sorry, is that a no?”

Xiao chirped. 

He chirped, and you almost lost yourself right then and there in a second of pure bliss. Such a melodious sound, and you had to resist the urge to aww at him, lest he pecked you.

You took his noise as a negative, just in case, and kept one hand on his neck instead, thumbing the feathers there, while your other hand took care of straightening up feathers and plucking out unsalvageable ones. Xiao barely flinched at the pain, but he’d tremble and ruffle his feathers whenever you decided to scratch at his neck.

He would let out a low thrum, but wouldn’t really object, so you continued either way.

Minutes into helping him, taking care of the other feathers while he worked on his underwing, his wings looked ten times better; they almost shone under the moonlight, reflecting that beautiful tone of green and gold. 

There were a few left for you to take care of, but before you could continue, a gale kicked up.

It was strong, too much so, forcing you to cover your face. Fortunately, it stopped soon enough, and the scent of Qingxin lingered in the air, mellow and comforting—familiar. When you opened your eyes, you found yourself looking at Xiao’s back, his human back, though his wings were still there as was his tail.

The opening of his shirt was perfect to house the origin on his wingbones while his tail came from somewhere on his lower back, ever so slightly lifting the white material. You saw how his gloves fell to the ground before he looked behind him for a second, moving his wings a little as he sighed.

“I don’t have enough energy to transform fully. The use of power tonight forced me to revert back to a beast to recuperate,” he explained, his breathing ragged, like he was agitated. Perhaps the transformation was draining and left him panting.

“You could’ve stayed as a bird, I wouldn’t have minded,” you said, placing your hand back on him, on his nape. Xiao said nothing, but you managed to hear him huff; ah, that was a sound you recognized better.

Wordlessly, you went back to your duty of feather care, occasionally scratching his skin and applying pressure; a lazy massage, but one you hoped would bring him comfort. There was something bothering him still, and now he could talk—you could wait as long as he needed.

Even if your view of him wasn’t the best one, Xiao in his human skin with wings was a majestic one nonetheless. You knew he was somehow related to avian creatures, given what he told you about his tattoo, but he had never told you more. He never told you he could turn into a bird, or that he was a bird, for that matter.

Perhaps it was something you should’ve assumed, taking into consideration what you knew about Cloud Retainer and Mountain Shaper, but jumping to conclusions regarding the adepti was never good, so you never even speculated.

“Were you– Are you… afraid? Of me?” he spoke, breaking the silence, which you were thankful for. His question, however, caught you off-guard completely. Afraid? Of him? Where did he get that idea? The thought of him thinking you feared him made your heart ache and throb in sympathy.

“I’m not. I was a little shocked when I saw you, but once I figured out it was you, I was completely fine.”

Xiao moved a little, his wings moving with him, stretching for a moment before coming back.

“You should be,” he said then, his stern tone betrayed by his still-agitated voice. You were about to protest when he continued, “Now you know what I truly look like.”

You frowned, confused. You wanted to say something, anything, but you were at a loss of words and not because you agreed with him. If anything, getting to know this side of him, the one hidden underneath his human guise, his true self, only made you appreciate him more.

How couldn’t you when the soul you’d fallen for was the same, no matter what he looked like?

“I never wanted you to see my true form,” he added as a whisper, his voice full of regret, even sadness and shame.

Your hands trembled at the honesty of his words, at the unfiltered intent behind them. Xiao had gone through so much in his millenia of being alive, from losing his family to carrying a burden as heavy as the entire world on his shoulders, all alone. You’d managed to open a hole in his defenses, giving him love and affection and comfort to the best of your abilities and he accepted them hesitantly.

Yet, the breach of mortality had never been taken care of—tales of the yaksha being beastly creatures were everywhere and, perhaps, they’d gotten to him. He didn’t wish to scare you away, he didn’t want you to find him unsightly.

He was far from that.

Standing up from your place behind him, you went to kneel in front of him. His face was flushed, but you focused on his eyes and his hands. He’d taken his gloves off earlier, and at the time you didn’t know the reason, but now you did; his hands were dark green, the same tone of his hair and his wings, and it faded into his skin color near his forearm. Moreover, where nails should be there were claws, sharp and dangerous if you didn’t know who you were dealing with.

Carefully, as if approaching a scared finch, you cradled his face in your hands. Xiao relaxed in your hold, becoming pliant and leaned into the touch. Keeping one hand there, you reached down to take a gentle hold of one his hands—he tried to pull away but you tightened your hold, firm but not painful.

“Xiao, listen to me,” you began, thumbing his skin and smiling at him. “That form of yours, no matter how beastly it might be in your eyes, is still a part of you, and I love you. Nothing will ever change that.”

He was silent, but he was listening and you didn’t need more. The only thing you wanted was for him to understand that your feelings for him transcended outer appearances and the line between mortals and adepti. He could be caked in blood, emerging from debris as he screeched at an enemy to return to the shadows, and you would still love him unabashedly, wholeheartedly and unconditionally.

“I love how selfless you are, how caring and thoughtful, even if you don’t know how to express it. I love how honest you are, I love our days and nights together. I love your heart and your soul, whether you have hands and feet, or wings and talons.”

You rose, leaning in closer to him as you thumbed his lower lip. Xiao remained speechless, but his eyes, avian and hypnotizing, called out to you in a silent plea. You nudged your nose with his as a request—he brought his free hand up to grab your wrist tenderly.

With his permission, you closed the distance between your lips and caught him in a searing kiss. It turned your blood into magma, like Pyro blazing through a field. Xiao kissed you back with urgency, uncharacteristic of him but you welcomed it nonetheless.

You’d told him how much you loved him, and now you would show him.

HOT THINGS SEBEK ZIGVOLT DOES

SEBEK ZIGVOLT and verbal appreciation. it’s a whole thing. there’s not a single day that will go by that this man doesn’t let you know how much he appreciates every little thing you do for him. sometimes it’s loud and booming, making the other students and staff in the library flinch because of the sheer volume of his voice, but other times it’s silent and soft-spoken, the ghost of a kiss against your skin in the late hours of the night. he doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal, but it means so much to you that he’s so open about how truly grateful he is for you.

SEBEK ZIGVOLT is tall, so it’s more than likely that he’ll be towering over you most of the time. he’s big and strong, and there’s something attractive about that combined with the fact that he’s practically dedicated himself to being your guard alongside his official duties to malleus. it’s not uncommon to have him lingering behind you, ready to step forward the moment you need his help. the position also makes for very good back hugs, should you request them at the right place and time.

SEBEK ZIGVOLT has a tendency to touch up on your appearance without you asking. he’s used to looking after silver, making sure he looks nothing less than perfect (even though silver has that unfair advantage of always looking princely even if he fell asleep in a ditch), and that habit extends to you over time. he soundlessly reaches out to you to adjust the collar of your uniformm of the fringe your hair as if you have no personal space, leaning in close enough for his lips to accidentally brush against your skin. it’s a wonder that he doesn’t notice the way your breath hitches (or does he…?)

SEBEK ZIGVOLT takes a while to learn how to whisper, but when he does, you can’t help but feel like he’s using it against you in some way. he gets closer than necessary when he’s whispering in your ear, to the point that his lips are brushing against your skin every time he moves. you don’t want him to tell him to move away, especially since you’re not exactly uncomfortable by the sudden close proximity, so you’re just left to pray to whatever deities exist in the world of twisted wonderland that he doesn’t notice the way your ears are suddenly burning hot and you’ve somehow forgotten how to breathe.

SEBEK ZIGVOLT remembers the most trivial things about you, from the expression you make when you’re eating something you’re not particularly fond of to your body language when it’s too cold but you don’t want anyone to know that you’re freezing your ass off, even the way your gaze shifts around a crowded room when your social battery is depleting. one could say that he knows you better than you know yourself. he applies his knowledge very discreetly, so subtle that barely anyone notices. you do, of course, because you’re quite proud to say that you know sebek almost as well as he knows you. but you’re much too hesitant to point it out, afraid that if you were to do so, he’d stop. (a silly fear; sebek wouldn’t be able to stop caring for you even if he tried)

Animal AU or Pet AU or I dont know Rei bat and his two cat brothers. Their brotherly relationship is fine dont worry.

Unoriginal but a goody; Riddle finding rough drafts of your love letter to him. Or catching you chanting his name while touching yourself and his feelings on someone actually wanting him closer instead of wanting to run away from him.

♡ R.R | LOVE | FLUFF

He could literally turn into a pile of ash.

Face aflame as his hands shakily hold the crumbled papers, his name in ruined ink and your handwriting, you were confessing your love. He feels dizzy and the longer he stared at the multitude of papers, the closer he felt to falling unconscious on your hardwood floors.

It's not like he purposely ment to spy nor invade your privacy, but he needed your opinion on something rather important. But your weren't answering your phone and he isn't the biggest fan of texting important issues to face to face was the best option. Yet it didn't occur to him your wouldn't be home, he merely assumed you were over sleeping, like always.

So he of course let himself inside, which wasn't uncommon, only to tsk at the pile of crumbled papers across your floor from your desk. It was against the Queens rules to have a messy room Tuesday nights, so he decided to help you. Only to find that these papers weren't in fact notes, but letters and curiosity got the better of him.

The door opens with a soft click, and he feels the ends of his hair stand as he spins around clutching the paper behind his back. You stand, head slightly tilted, as he says hello. But his voice cracks at the end and he coughs nervously.

"Good Evening. I was—well. I am here to speak to you. Apologies for simply walking in—but um, I assumed—"

You wave him off with a small, telling him it's alright. Slipping your bag off your shoulders with an exasperated sigh. The House warden visibly relaxes, crumbling the papers behind he back and dropping them to the floor when you weren't looking. He pulls at his collar and clears his throat. "So—How was your day, dear Perfect."

"Long," you laugh and sigh at the same time, plopping down on your plush bed, "but good. How was yours?"

His eyes flicker to the pile as he sits on your bed, back straight and hands in his lap, "uh, productive... Yes... One could say, I learned quite a lot..."

"Like?" You inquire, undoing the buttons of your vest, having slipped off your blazer and tossed to the side, which Riddle would usually scold you for.

"I—That assertiveness is a admirable quality—" There's a certain firmness and you look at him, brows furrowing, yet he seems deep within his thoughts, clenching his together.

"I also learned... I'm not assertive enough...." He looks at you, before his gaze flickers to your lips. As if releasing his actions, he explodes into another fit of red, snapping his head away.

"Riddle?" The call of his name, sends a hot shiver down his spine and he can't help but scrunch his nose. It isn't a bad feeling, but its—

"Riddle." He looks at you, hands nearly shaking as he lunges for yours. Watching your emotions flicker visibly, before resting on confused, yet intrigued. There's no words exchange, none to be spoken as the gap that once seemed so wide, slowly closes.

Eyes slowly closing, hearts slowly syncing, as passion, inexperience, love danced between pressed lips. His lips tremble and his body is stiff, following only instinct to kiss you. Yet his mind wants to retreat, to pull away, yet his hands finds your waist, fingers sinking into covered flesh, a muffled gasp resounding in your throat, burst whatever magical hold you placed over him. He nearly jumps away, his gloves hands slapping over his arms, eyes wide.

You fall into awkward silence.

"So... Um.... Uh.... I forgot what I was suppose to speak to you about....." He struggles to gather his thoughts, mind spinning. His tongue subconsciously running over his lips, he stills a peek at you and you're staring away.

"... At.. at a better time.... I would like—If you would like also—" He can't finish his words as your agree, and he clears his throat, standing up from your bed, and letting out a cough.

"Your room. It's a mess. And quite against the Queen's Rules. So, you should clean it. Yes." He attempts to save face, slowly backing out of your room, dusting off the imaginary dirt, before giving a short nervous bow or sorts and darting out your room. He fingers graze over his lips, a small smile forming.

He'd like to kiss you again.

— promise you’ll forget me

featured: liyue men x fem!reader

cw: generally gn but uses she/her (an itty bit), pet names, angst, hurt/comfort, a sliver of fluff, mention of character death, a little wholesome if you’re delusional enough (me)

synopsis: “When I die, promise me you’ll forget me. Erase me from your memories, bury me in the past, and live.”

a/n: my 3 babygirls + if I caused anyone any distress from this soft angst then let me know !! so I can continue wrecking havoc :)

── ꨄ︎ Xiao

Xiao stared at you, frozen in place and eyes widening as those words fell from your lips. He was in shock, completely baffled at how casually you uttered those words. As if they meant nothing… he grimly thought, As if you could ever mean nothing. His hands trembled, balling them into fists and digging his nails into the back of his palm. Had his silent affection, loving kisses, acts of devotion, and fierce protection not been testament enough to the impact you had on him? Had you not realized that you wielded the same amount of power over him as his previous master had with his true name? The Yaksha was almost amazed at your ignorance. “How dare you speak so carelessly…” he growled. Xiao was already fully aware of the reality of your inevitable death; it’s a truth that even the Conquerer of Demons, himself, adamantly refuses to revisit. He was bitterly aware that your time in Teyvat — your days together — was on borrowed time compared to his. That’s just the fate of a human's life in comparison to an Adeptus. He knew that the day will come when he would be forced to confront the tragic cycle of life and death once again, and if only for the sake of his Archon, he’ll grit his teeth and face it when the time comes. But to ask him to forget you, to erase you from his memories? You, who he cherishes most of all. You, who stealthily slithered into his heart and made a home in the remnants of his damned soul. You, who he foolishly fell in love with. There was no force in this wretched world that could ever submit him to abandon the little joy he was given in his life. And to ask that of him was to condemn him to a far crueler fate than that of the karmic debt he harbors on his shoulders.

Glowering at the wooden floorboards of the Wangshu Inn, Xiaos piercing eyes flickered up at you. “Do not make such absurd requests of me again.” He sneered. Flinching in surprise, you questioningly glanced at your lover. Shifting your gaze down, you noticed the deathly grip he held on the patio's railing and the cracking lines spreading beneath his fingertips. “Xiao… wait, I didn’t mean to—“ but your words were cut short by the solemn glint in his yellow stare. “There are many things I struggle to comprehend about you mortals, so tell me,” attentively, your ears perked up and your breathing paused as he spoke, “could you forget me so easily if I asked you to? Is your affection for me simply…” biting the inside of his cheek, his expression shifted to one of sorrowful hesitation, “temporary?” Your entire body tensed. Xiao had made a bad habit of hiding his less ‘acceptable’ emotions in an attempt to not burden you — no matter how many times you reassured him — so to glimpse at that fragile vulnerability and find the newly seed of doubt you had planted, it made your heart wrench in your chest. You blinked a few times as each flutter of your lashes only gathered more and more wet droplets onto them. “No! Xiao! I would ne-.. ver….” and that’s when you realized the weight of what you had asked him. Rejected.. I made him feel rejected, You internally groaned. Sighing you carefully took a few steps towards him, “Listen to me,” you softly spoke, “I don’t want you to live in mourning after I pass. You don’t deserve that, Xiao,” and his eyes widened, “I want you to be happy,” softening your gaze, you continued, “I want you to continue enjoying the gifts life brings, no matter how big or small they might be!” Standing in front of him, you reached a hand out to gently caress his cheek and dotingly smiled when he instinctively leaned into your touch. “I want you to keep spending time with humans, and one day you may even find new companions who’ll add to your happiness.” Nonsense, he thought. The Adeptus revers you almost as highly as his Archon and you think some feeble companions could ever compare? Xiao placed his hand atop yours and gingerly kissed your palm. His eyes reflected a tender intensity as he peered down at you, “Our connection is too strong, y/n.” his arms wrapped protectively around you, holding you tightly as if he wasn’t careful enough you’d disappear and be gone forever. Xiao hovered his lips above yours as he rested his forehead on you, and closed his eyes, “No matter what challenges time brings, or what you, yourself, try to do to sever our bond,” pressing his lips on yours, he kissed you as he quietly whispered, “I will love you, always.”

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

417 years have gone by since Xiao last held you in his embrace. And although he was pleased he was able to offer you a long, happy and loving life, Xiao would be blatantly lying if he said he’d moved on from your death. And if not for your last — somewhat reasonable — request, he likely wouldn’t have intervened with the lives of mortals, or reluctantly accepted their friendship. If that was what you truly would’ve wanted for him then he’ll hold his complaints and trust your judgement. It was bittersweet, really. If you were still alive, he knew in his heart you’d be fascinated by these mortals' new technology and inventions; he wonders what you’d say of this new era. And he can’t help the smile that tugs on his lips as he thinks of how you’d fawn over these silly contraptions, There’s no doubt you’d be foolishly fascinated by such simple trinkets, he thinks, but archons what he wouldn’t do to see your eyes sparkle with wonder again. And although Teyvat has undergone infinite changes, there is but one acre of land that the Yaksha has ensured remains untouched by humans, Adeptus or demons alike. It was a sort of sanctuary for him. A place of refuge, meditation, reflection, and heartache; but above all, it was where Xiao would religiously visit to honor the love he had, and continues to have, for you — his one and only. The area was radiant, nothing less than one of Liyues hidden gems. The ground was vibrant with lush grass, lively wildlife, and blanketed with all your favorite flowers; flowers Xiao had helped you plant and nurture. What once started as your personal garden ended up flourishing with vines, plants and new ecosystems. It could honestly be described as a mini forest, and the Adeptus wonders if it’s prosperity is because of you. Either way, you would’ve loved it, and that thought alone was enough. Thinking back, Xiao couldn’t believe he was so ignorant. Initially, he thought the whole custom was silly when Morax first casually mentioned it one day. ‘Marriage, is a unity humans practice as well here in Teyvat. It is a unity between lovers — a ceremonial alliance, if you will.’ To him, the idea seemed pointless, but the thought never left his head since. He’s already submitted himself to you in every way, but if his Archon had advised marriage was also a custom between mortals then perhaps you would like to marry as well. So this sacred area is where you both wed. The beaming smile and buzzing excitement you showed that day was forever engraved in his memories. Xiao still keeps the silver ring you slid on his finger with him. Though as of recent centuries he hasn’t worn it as much in order to preserve its integrity, but sometimes, when he’s laying amidst the swaying grass and reminiscing of times gone past, he’ll slip it on and think of you. On rare occasions the Yaksha would even stage a performance, the way he used to when he danced beneath the moonlight as you watched in awe. Whether sunlight warms his skin, rain splashes on his hair and wets his clothes, or strong currents of the wind whistles loudly through the air, he’ll dance to the natural rhythm of Teyvat. A performance reserved only for you. Other times he’ll rest on a bed of soft moss as his honey eyes gaze at the starry sky till morning illuminates the world once more. Simply remembering the sound of your voice, your touch, your laugh, and he’ll wonder, wherever you are in this vast universe, if you think of him too.

── ꨄ︎ Zhongli

The sound of glass shattering echoed throughout the mountaintop of Mt. Aocang. The traditional, delicately crafted teacup Zhongli held was now shattered into pieces in the palm of his hand, and the tea previously filling it was now spilled all over the god's lap. Unaware that his sudden vise-like grip was to blame for its broken state. He saw your lips move and your body apprehensively patting his clothes dry with a cloth, but he couldn’t hear a thing. Zhongli simply stayed in place as his golden eyes stared at you. Yes, it’s true that the former Geo Archon has encountered countless tragic fates and lost several friends and close relationships to the erosion of time. And it’s only been recent, with the reawakening of Azhdaha, that he had to reluctantly reevaluate and reaccept his cursed fate of eternity until the last remnants of his body eroded back into the stones of old. Azhdaha reminded him his future was pitiful. Doomed to solidarity as punishment for being a God. It was for that exact reason that Zhongli heavily contemplated the idea of entering a relationship with a human for a very long time before officially committing to you. However, it was also through that slow-burn romance that an unexpected love blossomed. Its tender passion awoke a primal instinct that had long laid dormant in the depths of Morax’s innate desires — it caught the Archon, himself, off guard. The love of a God cannot be easily earned or discarded. It entails complete submission, adoration, and devotion. Then again, it might be the reason Zhongli wasn’t avoidant of the inevitable outcome of this relationship. He fully accepted the consequences of his decision if it meant enjoying just a moment of tranquility in your embrace. He’d be willing to endure a thousand years of heartache if it meant hearing your voice just once, and he’d suffer through thousands more if even to kiss the fabric that clung to your body.

Zhongli, blinked from his trance and looked down to see you patting his clothes dry with red fingertips and scathed palms from the burning hot tea. Swiftly, he took hold of your hands and took the cloth away from you. He felt a pang of guilt as he carefully cascaded his thumb across the searing flush of your warmed skin. “I do apologize, my love.” shifting his gaze up to you, he continued, “It seems that your request has taken me aback.” Tightening your hold on his hands, you knitted your brows in worry, “Oh.. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.” you pouted. Zhongli removed his gloves, and your attention trailed to the geo marks decorating his golden skin. So pretty, you thought. “There is no need to fret, darling.” His voice was deep and affectionate. An obvious difference compared to the usual somber and nonchalant tone he speaks with, and it made your heart flutter knowing it was only ever exposed to you. But then suddenly, his expression turned serious. “However, that request would be a breach of contract, and I simply, will not break it.” Your eyes widened for a moment before quirking an eyebrow up in question. You momentarily tilted your head in curiosity, and the Archon couldn’t help but feel his gaze soften, just a little, in response to your small habit. Fluttering your eyes on him, you asked, “What contract?” What contract? He silently mused, as if the answer itself was blatantly obvious — which to him, it was. Lowly chucking, he wrapped his large hand around your wrist and slipped his fingertips up to caress your palm. Raising your hand up to his lips, he languidly met your gaze with his adoring one. “If you do not recall, then allow me to remind you.” Closing his eyes, he placed a kiss on your fingertip, “I have sworn myself each time I touch your skin.” He placed a kiss on another, “Each time my mind had been desperately surrendered by thoughts of you.” Then another, fluttering his long lashes, he peered at you with half-lidded eyes as his pupils dilated to slits “In every moment our bodies intimately intertwine together amidst the heat of our love.” Gasping at his sudden confession, your heart sped up in a fervent fluster. He leaned in close, “I am bound to you, my love, for all eternity.” Zhongli kissed you once, and then twice. He placed his hands on your hips and pulled you in, almost urging you to sit on his lap. Deepening the kiss the Geo Archon could only pray his kisses could hope to portray even a sliver of the love he has for you.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

And so a millennium has passed, he hums. 1,231 years to be exact. Since your passing, Zhongli counted each year that came and went. Placing an incense down on the shrine he built in your memory, the Archon kneeled before your golden statue and prayed — he’s not quite sure to who, and he’s not sure if there’s anyone listening, but if there is, he hopes it’s you. Today had been an unusual day given that he doesn’t normally visit your shrine so late in the evening, but no matter what he did it seemed like unforeseen circumstances kept getting in the way of his preplanned visit. And after several attempts of trying to untangle himself from piling responsibilities, he sighed and decided it was best to just visit you by the end of today no matter what or who dared get in his way. Which brings us to now. However, shortly after he started his peaceful meditation, he was disturbed by someone’s quiet shuffles behind him. Fluttering his eyes open, his sharp gaze glared in the direction the noise was coming from. Even though it’s location wasn’t necessarily private, this shrine was his personal alter of worship, a private haven, who the hell was foolish enough to intrude on its sacred premises? Snapping his head around, his menacing gaze immediately widened into one of pure shock. It surely.. can’t be..? He muttered in disbelief. “Oh! I’m sorry I-um- I didn’t realize someone was here!” The voice awkwardly spoke, and as they turned to leave, his lips moved before he could realize he was talking, “What’s your name?” Blinking in surprise, the woman sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck, “Ah. I’m h/n, heh.” Walking closer she carefully inspected the handsome man as he stared at her like she was some sort of ghost. “Is this your shrine?” Looking up at the statue she softly smiled, “I’ve been coming here for weeks.” she confessed, and Zhongli slowly stood from his position. It’s her. The depths of the dragons innate need for his mate had violently awoken from its slumber, and he felt the bond he mourned for centuries, suddenly call out to each and every one of his senses. It’s her. Your reincarnation. Lighting her own stick of incense and bowing, the woman — you — glanced back at him, “I found this place by accident, and I bring my own incense to pay my respects as well. But honestly, I don’t know why I come here.” You chuckled. “Maybe it’s because her statue looks similar to me, or maybe … it’s because I can’t help but feel like this place calls to me.” Shaking your head, you bashfully looked away, “Sounds crazy, right?” “No.. no, not at all….” Softening his gaze, he offered a smile. There’s no mistaking it. I can sense her soul, years of longing and heartache clutched his heart, I could recognize it anywhere. And so the both of you spent the evening chatting away over tea the man you came to know as ‘Zhongli’ had prepared, and when nighttime shadowed the streets you both politely took your leaves. Zhongli deeply considered whether or not he should look for you again, but he soon realized he couldn’t bring himself to disrupt the new life you had built — even if it didn’t include him. He told himself he was happy, satisfied knowing your soul had returned even if every cell in his body painfully yearned to be with his lover again. Being given the opportunity to drink tea with you should be privilege enough. It wasn’t until you visited the shrine early one morning that you finally found him. After a brief catch-up, he noticed you nervously shifting, “Is something the matter?” He worriedly asked. With a deep breathe you confessed what’d been on your mind since your last encounter. “Have we met before?” You began, and his entire body froze, “I know this might seem strange but…” and unconsciously his body leaned in closer as his primal instincts begged him to caress your skin once more, but he forced himself rooted. Until you uttered a single sentence and momentarily tilted your head in curiosity that he felt his heart struck, and daresay, even gave the god hope. “I can’t help but feel like…. I’ve met you before, a long time ago.”

── ꨄ︎ Childe

Strumming his fingertips, Childe hummed in contemplation. He’s well aware of the repercussions that come with being 11th of the Fatui Harbingers, and he’s hyper-aware of the vile leverage his enemies would try to obtain when discovering the infamous Harbinger has taken a lover. However, the thing about Childe is that he actually openly welcomes his enemies to try to even get remotely near you. Honestly, your request is just straight-up hilarious to him. But he supposes he can’t blame you. After all, you haven’t a clue of the extent your lover has and, even as you ask, is taking to ensure your safety. It’s stressful, really, but the man loves challenges — “Let them come, let them ALL come!” He manically laughs, before lowering his head, “I’ll kill them all where they stand.” he snarls. Every loud and flamboyant confession, every playful kiss, every subtle caress of your skin, and each lingering touch holds an ulterior motive aside from just affection. It’s a warning. But you never noticed, have you? While you’re pushing him away in a flustered daze, you don’t notice how his cheeky smile and crescent eyes fall the second you turn in a huff and his gaze narrows to a sinister glare — directly locking eyes with the spies creeping atop rooftops. How he never directly answers your questions when he disappears for a few minutes only to return scathed and sometimes even bleeding. Brushing away your worry with a tender smile as he pinches your cheek, “Heh, don’t worry so much!” He’ll coo. Your request isn’t even an option. Childe would die for you, kill for you, live for you. He’ll do whatever it takes to stand above a pile of bloody corpses if only to force them to bow before you. You, the promised ruler of the world he’ll craft. And should you fall, he would build his empire on the blood of millions just to keep his promise.

Childes eyes glimmered in amusement as he threw his head back and laughed. “Hahah—!! You really do have an active imagination babe!” Playfully ruffling your hair, he chuckled, “C’mon now, don’t say such nonsense.” His lips curled into a beaming smile, but you could tell by the edge laced in his words that he meant what he said. Huffing, you smacked his hand away, “I’m not joking, Ajax!” Sighing, you turned away in embarrassment, “I’m being…. I’m being serious, alright?” Pausing, Childe furrowed his brows, “You’re serious?” Rolling your eyes, you marched away feeling flustered and annoyed by your lover's reaction, “Yes! I’m being serious!” Normally, the incredulous stare Childe gave you would’ve made you tease him in any other situation, but as of now it only added to the searing burn on your cheeks. Following behind you, he grabbed your arm to stop you and delicately tugged you to look at him. “Hey, what are you saying?” Turning around, you were met with narrowed blue eyes and a frown, “Are you calling me weak?” And as much as you wanted to stay mad at him, you couldn’t help but crack a smile at his accusatory tone and pouty lips. Intertwining your fingers with his you stepped toward him until your face was only inches away from his pretty glaring eyes. Running your fingertips against his jaw, you lightly traced them across his freckled skin until you reached his messy, orange hair, “The only thing I think you are is dumb.” You lovingly purred. Scoffing he averted his gaze from yours. “Listen, Ajax,” you started, “I know you worry about me, and yes, even though you’re the strongest man I know—“ “Ever will know.” He corrected. Giggling you flicked his forehead, “Ever will know~” you repeated, before you cleared your throat and steeled your gaze, “If I do pass… promise me you’ll live for yourself, okay? Take care of yourself, and no matter what, don’t let my memory hold you back.” Hold me back? He chuckled. Gently placing both hands on your cheeks, he guided your head to fully face him, “Your life makes me feel alive, y/n, and if the day comes — which it won’t,” he sternly emphasized, “your memory will only serve as the reason I fight to survive.” Pulling you into his protective embrace he buried his face in your soft locks, “I’ll keep you safe.”

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

720 days. That’s 720 archon-forsaken days, and sleepless nights. It was clear to all, that a part of Childe never quite recovered the day he found your lifeless body lying alongside the jagged edges of stone slabs resting beneath a mountain cliff side. The image of your body lying still as a pool of your blood gushed from your mutilated wounds onto the unforgiving surface of the rocks became a memory deeply embedded in the Harbingers mind. Then again, perhaps it wasn’t something inside him that had shattered, but instead completely disappeared. Even now, he still feels likes he’s quietly being haunted by the agonizing screams he cried and tears that he endlessly shed as he held your bloody corpse in his possessive and shaky embrace. However, all of that paled in comparison to the unsettling numbness that nestled within his bones and tainted his heart when he caught sight of the item that dropped from your hand as he cradled you. It was mocking. Taunting, even. “The pendant…” he spoke, barely above a whisper. She protected.. the pendant I gave her? His azure stare darkened as the very last of his compassion died right there and then. Now they only harbored hatred and desolation. Reaching to pick up the pendant, Childe carefully brushed the blood staining it with his gloved thumb. This was the gold entwined, jade pendant he had gifted you during the firework showcase of your first Lantern Rite with him. It was intended as a good luck token — a marker of sorts. He promised you that so long as you held this pendant, he would always come to protect you; your lover vowed this. His breath trembled, and his jaw clenched as he glared at it with blurry eyes. He couldn’t help but wonder, Was she waiting for me, choking out a sob his fingers combed through your hair as he rested his forehead on yours and salty tears dripped down your cheek, to protect her? And that thought alone was enough to sever the remaining domestic threads of his heart. For the next two years, Childe spent every waking moment tracking your killer. His obsession only further manifested as time went by. Even his work as a Fatui Harbinger strained, yet none were brave enough to tell him otherwise. Either because of fear, or because the Tsaritsa ordered it so. During that time there were those who argued that Childe had gone on a blind rampage, and others argued the Harbinger became the vengeful embodiment of a man of focus, commitment, and sheer will. To be honest? Neither were completely right or wrong. He never hurt bystanders, yet he never hesitated slaughtering anyone who got in his way. As for those foolish enough to mislead him or hold information? Well, they suffered a fate worse than death. It wasn’t until he found himself deep within the shadowy crevices of the chasm that he finally met your murderer. It was a wretched demon that had ripped you away from him, a crime even death was too good for. The accumulated rage of a fallen God was nothing compared to the murderous hatred he harbored. In the end, Childe came victorious — albeit at the cost of his own life. Sliding against weathered stone, he sat down and aimlessly stared at the curvatures of the chasm. “Seems I couldn’t keep my promise, huh?” He chuckled, “Don’t be too mad at me.” Wincing in pain, he slipped out the pendent he gifted you from his Foul Legacy’s armor as he felt his eyelids grow heavy. Kissing it’s cold exterior, he took a breathy sigh, “Please, wait for me,” fluttering his eyes shut, a line of blood dribbled from his lips as he smiled, “just a little…. longer..”

side note!: new format ! let’s goooooooooo

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when you’re tired.

how they comfort you when you’re too tired to take care of yourself.

feat. kaedehara kazuha ; xiao ; scaramouche. wanderer ; albedo ; venti ; tighnari ; gn! reader.

cw: comfort. them being caring boyfriends. self indulgent. mentions of crying. mild blood and injury in xiao’s + albedo’s. use of the pet-name ‘princess’ in albedo’s. soft scara.

kaedehara kazuha

with droopy eyes, you stare at the piece of paper in front of you. the words written on it no longer make sense to you, feeling more like just swirling ink rather than symbols with meaning.

you rub your eyes for the nth time this evening.

when was the last time you ate or drank something?

you can’t remember.

with a sigh, you try to re-focus again.

all those annotations in your handwriting… did you write them? you must have done so, you guess, but the opaque clouds of your mind don’t let you access that piece of memory.

just as another yawn was leaving your lips, an airy voice pulls you out of your daze.

“someone’s tired.” kazuha chuckles.

“hey, kazuha.” you respond, rather unenthusiastically.

kazuha’s brow furrows at that. you’re usually brimming with excitement and running to him as soon as he gets home.

are you not feeling alright?

the next groan you let out and the way you keep furiously rubbing at your eyes let the samurai know that, you are, in fact, more than tired.

“dove, is everything alright?” kazuha asks. his arms wrap around your middle from behind, chin resting atop your shoulder. his warm eyes are akin to an autumn gale, wisps of worry and concern laced with the dark crimson of maple leaves.

and then, you start shaking.

“no, kazuha.” you sniffle. “nothing is alright.” your lower lip quivers, the tidal wave before the storm of your tears and sobs. “i can’t do this anymore… i’m tired, and work piles up, and i’m useless because i won’t be able to finish on time, and, and…”

a finger to your lips silences you.

“shhh, don’t say those things about yourself, my petal.” your lover’s bandaged hand interlaces with yours, his thumb tracing unspoken verses over the back of it.

it’s warm, you think.

i’ve got you, he means.

tenderly, akin to the flutter of bird wings, kazuha wipes away the tears streaming down your face.

after every gentle touch, his angel kisses follow, flowers blooming in the shape of a welcome warmth where cold rivers marked a path before.

your sobs fall silent, your tormenting rain halting before the bright sun that kaedehara kazuha is.

“close your eyes, my hummingbird.” he whispers, the sound of a comforting autumn breeze reaching your ears. “rest for a while, my love.” he finishes, butterfly kisses landing like cherry blossom petals over your visage.

kazuha’s arms hold you securely against his chest. his voice reciting the first poem he dedicated to you lulls you to sleep.

he looks at you, nuzzled against his torso, and a melancholic smile paints his face in hues of bittersweet.

kazuha wishes you could always smile. but when you cannot, he’ll make sure to shelter you from your inner tempests.

xiao

with a click, the door to yours and xiao’s room at wangshu inn opens.

a sensation of relief washes over the yaksha, restlessly pacing the space when he sees your face in the doorway.

you weren’t here when he arrived and he didn’t hear you call his name either. he is glad you are here now.

his eyes of amber widen when he meets yours, in happiness at first. but alas, as they say, nothing gold can stay. for, as soon as xiao sees the scratches on your hands and cheek, his candlelight gaze becomes almost glassy, a frown marring his pretty face.

“xiao, i’m hom-”

“who did this?” he questions, perhaps harsher than he intended.

you don’t know when he moved, but your adeptus now stands by your side, his gloved hand holding onto your scratched up wrist.

“oh this?” you ask, owlishly blinking at the shallow injuries tainting your skin. “huh, i hadn’t even realized.” you yawn. “must have gotten these during my commissions.”

xiao inhales, breath hitching. you seem more tired lately. he doesn’t like how, even so, you keep giving yourself for the sake of others: completing any mission that needs to be done, helping citizens fulfill their requests, taking any commissions available at the adventurers’ guild… and so on and so forth.

your jessamine-soft touch to his cheek pulls xiao out of his trance.

“xiao… i’m fine.” you smile, tiredly, the dark circles under your eyes becoming more prominent. you yawn again. “i just need to sleep for a bit now.” you mumble, cheek leaning against the vigilant yaksha’s chest.

xiao’s cheeks heat up at the contact, arms circling you, not knowing where to place them exactly. you’re injured, what if his karma makes it worse? you need to heal up too… he can’t let you go to bed without cleaning your wounds first.

“y-y-you… you need to… those wounds… you need to treat them first.” he stammers.

you chuckle, half amused at his cuteness, half to try to ease him.

“i will…” you reach to peck his cheek. “why don’t you help me, love?” you ask, gaze locking with his crimson lined one.

“ah-… yeah.” he manages.

with trembling hands, the yaksha delicately bandages up your cuts. it’s endearing, you think, how shy and gentle he is, despite claiming to only know how to deal in death and slaughter.

as his fingers ghost over the newly tied bandages, you get lost in him; in the intense molten gold of his sharp irises, in the scarlet that surrounds them; in the dark jade of his silky hair and how it frames his cheekbones and jaw so perfectly; in his porcelain skin and the pretty pink that dots his cheeks… in xiao, in him and all that he is.

setting the remaining gauze atop the bedside table, your yaksha sits in front of you, eyes averted, cheeks abloom in shades of intense spring.

chuckling, you scoot closer to him. you settle in between his legs, the side of your face and your hands over the heart he declared forever yours.

“xiao?”

“y-yes?” his arms awkwardly wrap around your waist, accommodating you comfortably against his torso.

“thank you.” your lids flutter closed.

moments with xiao really do erase every trace of exhaustion off of you.

scaramouche. wanderer

the plate slipping from between your fingers is the last straw. after the week you’ve had, seeing the pieces of china shattering before your eyes is the last thing you needed. it is like seeing your last remaining strength crumble to pieces, one by one.

your vision becomes blurry, big hot tears silently falling down your tired face. your grip on the kitchen counter is tight, knuckles white.

“hey, what’s all this ruckus?” a bothered voice questions.

you chide yourself internally. for being like this, especially in front of him. didn’t he despise human’s fragility?

your lips move but before you can reply, scaramouche beats you to it.

“you’re trembling…” the wanderer moves closer to where you are. why won’t you look at him? are you going to leave and betray him too? “hey, are you okay?”

still, you don’t move. hair hanging in front of your face, you are paralyzed. it seems all the stress and exhaustion from the past weeks has finally taken a toll on you.

the wanderer’s deep hyacinth eyes catch sight of the mess all around you: pieces of broken porcelain cluttering the sink and floor; a grotesque and mocking mirror of your current state.

“kuni…” you sob, not capable of keeping the tremor out of your voice. “i’m sorry… i’m so sorry… it’s all my fault…”

“what are you even apologizing for, dummy?” he cuts your rambling off.

with care, he takes ahold of your wrist, pulling you against his chest.

“i broke it…” you lean limp against your boyfriend. “the plate… it’s… it’s my fault. i’m sorry, i’m sorry i’m so tired.”

scaramouche sighs, exasperation lacing his huff.

“silly, what worries me is your state. have you even realized how utterly exhausted you look?” the lips of the almost god peck your brow, strands of starry midnight, a gentle tickle against your skin. “you need to rest. now.”

teary, you glance at the still uncooked ingredients lining the table.

“but i have to-”

“no you absolutely don’t.” your wanderer states, not leaving room for further discussion. his pristine hands cup your wet cheeks, stormy iris eyes lined in the color of roses fixed on yours. “dinner? i’ll take care of it. and it will be delicious.”

and with that, scaramouche guides you to your shared bedroom. tucking you in bed, he squeezes your hand before he leaves.

he hopes you have sweet dreams until dinner time.

albedo

the unforgiving cold of dragonspine definitely didn’t pair well with your drowsy state.

the days leading up to this weekend had been hard on you, worries and important decisions swirling around your mind in a spiral of confusion. fatigue and uncertainty seemed to rule your every thought.

and it is that, and the gelid winds of the mountains that led to your mishap.

despite your exhaustion, today you wanted to help your boyfriend with his research. with no hesitation, you braved the icy mountain’s cold to reach to his camp in dragonspine.

and if it wasn’t for the way albedo’s summer sky eyes visibly sparkled when he caught sight of you, you would have regretted the trip.

and somehow, there is a point when you regret it. when those same eyes look at you wide with concern, the sky beginning to cloud over, before the snow.

“[y/n]… [y/n]. [y/n]!” albedo calls you repeatedly, but you are like in a trance. the liquid you’re pouring into one of his flasks is already overflowing, yet you make no move to stop.

it is only when albedo’s hand snatches yours that you come to.

absentmindedly, you stare at your hand still holding the container with the substance you were pouring: it’s leaked onto the table, twisting swirls of smoke in ominous hues coming off the stain.

and then, when you process what albedo just prevented, you break down.

“did i… did i do that?” you ask, your voice so small albedo is afraid you might shatter, like a crystal figurine that clatters to the floor with just a mild breeze.

his free gloved hand takes the vase you were still holding and settles it on the desk. then, he holds both of your hands in his.

your skin is covered in goosebumps. you are shivering. and did your eyes always look so devoid of light and so tired?

“my princess,” he begins, cradling the back of your head against his chest. “have you not been sleeping lately?” he points out, fingers running through your hair.

tears form in the corners of your eyes. as much as you look pretty like this, your lashes akin to newly bloomed flowers in the morning dew, the alchemist hates to see you sad.

you sigh, palms resting against the chalk prince’s chest.

“to tell you the truth, no, i haven’t.” you close your eyes, icy tears rolling down your pretty face. “i couldn’t… these last few days…” you bring a hand to your temple. “it’s… it’s been complicated.”

albedo shrugs off his coat, draping it over your shoulders.

your eyes widen, warmth returning to your face. what if he gets cold because of you now?

but before you can speak, your lover silences you with his words.

“first, let’s get you all warm.” he tells you, your palm resting atop his. “then,” he leans in, leaving a sweet frosted kiss on the back of your hand. “you can tell me all about it of you wish.” he pulls you closer to his side, his fingers lacing with yours. “does a cup of hot chocolate sound good, my dearest?” albedo tucks a strand of hair behind your ear.

and how can you not smile? when your prince’s lips curve upwards, his golden hair and celeste eyes the picture perfect image of comfort against a background of ice and biting gales?

“that would be lovely, ‘bedo.” you murmur, basking in the warmth his embrace offers.

venti

the windborne bard’s aquamarine eyes lack their usual mischief today. not because he is unwell, but because the song of your heart is erratic. dissonant. a bell sounding, asking for help amidst the cold ocean in which you are drowning.

he’s noticed the way you carry yourself these days. a shadow of who you are, a truth you have built up, with stained glass depicting only the emotions you think others should see.

venti is aware of your exhaustion, of the emptiness that’s eating at you, a fairytale with a ripped out page, its happy ending torn to pieces.

he is a god, after all. the wind he rules over carries feelings and memories. notes and melodies telling the story of his people. and of course, yours too.

that is why, he decided today you will be taking the day off.

—

the sun rises, and with it, your meager rest comes to an end. commissions at the adventurer’s guild and citizens’ requests won’t complete themselves alone, as much as you’d like that.

the heaviness in your step subsides a little after talking to hertha. one of the requests involves a trip to windrise. it says to bring two apples and a bottle of dandelion wine. the requester, anonymous.

a pleased hum escapes you as you make your way to angel’s share to make the purchase.

windrise. that place brings happy memories. it’s yours and venti’s favorite place to go on dates.

vennessa’s tree. under which you and venti had your first kiss.

the thought alone is enough to put a smile on your lips and for your cheeks to rival the heat of the red that tints the apples’ peels.

with a newfound skip on your step, you start the trip to windrise.

but alas, your vitality is short lived. for when the shadow of vennessa’s tree casts a sun-splattered canopy over you, you deflate upon seeing no one around.

then, when you were ready to turn around and leave, a dandelion scented breeze blows by.

“missed me, my windblume?” a familiar voice asks.

there, perched atop one of the huge tree’s branches, is none other than your lover.

“venti!” you exclaim, a smile gracing your features.

“ehe” with agility, he soars down his perch, hovering upside down just inches from you.

“if i had known it was you, i would have dressed up more…” you trail off, averting your gaze to the side.

“ehh? but you always look gorgeous to me, my warrior.” venti tells you, turquoise-marine eyes earnest.

you fluster, wide eyes looking up at his cute face.

then, he’s kissing you. and you’re cupping his face. and kissing him back. and the basket with the apples and wine clatters to the ground. and neither of you care.

because what could be more important than each other?

when you pull away for air, venti lands in front of you. picking up the basket, he says:

“hm, but my request doesn’t end here, windblume.” he takes your hand in his free one, tugging you along towards the big tree.

“now you must join me and relax for the rest of the day, ‘mkay?” the anemo archon requests, kissing your heated cheek.

and how could you ever say no to your cute boyfriend?

you can’t. that is your weakness.

and your saving grace today.

tighnari

the clock is about to strike midnight. silence only broken by the stars’ static and the chirping of nocturnal insects has settled over avidya forest.

one by one, the lights on each cabin have been going out, leaving way to the moonlight to reign over the vast expanse of green.

there is one house, however, that remains alight. the person inside seems to be busy, relentlessly tackling multiple tasks and papers.

this image would go unnoticed my most passersby. a busy student, some would think. a night owl, others would judge.

there is someone, nevertheless, who knows the truth happening right now behind those windows. nothing escapes the head forest ranger’s sharp hearing, after all.

with serious eyes, tighnari heads towards the source of the light. when he reaches your house, he doesn’t even have to knock: it’s open.

not that knocking would have done any good, anyway: you’re fast asleep.

hastily scattered around the table lie several notebooks and papers. some of them are finished, others have just a few scribbles on them.

and on top of all of this mess is you. sleeping soundly, pen still in your hand.

it’s good that at least you are getting some rest, tighnari thinks. but he can’t leave you like this. in this posture, you’re definitely going to be sore the next morning.

as carefully as he can, your boyfriend hoists you up. you stir a little in his arms, but not enough to wake up.

tenderly, he lays you on your bed, tucking the covers snug around you.

but still, he feels bad leaving you by yourself. it hasn’t escaped him how tired you look lately.

so he stays.

tighnari places a chair by your bed, and just as he was going to sit on it, something catches on his tail.

“‘nari…” you mumble, bleary eyes staring up at him, one of your hands buried in the soft dark green fur of his tail. “what are you doing here?… wait… oh no!” you sit up, lifting the covers off of you, standing up so quickly you feel dizzy. you stumble, and if it weren’t for tighnari’s arms looping around your middle, you would have hit the floor. “i fell asleep! tighnari, why didn’t you wake me up? i have to go back to work now!…”

“no. absolutely not.” his tone, commanding.

“but…” you look up into his teal-hazel eyes. he levels you with a warning gaze. there is nothing to bargain for here, he seems to say.

“no. none of it.” the forest ranger holds you by the shoulders. “you are going to sleep now. and i’m going to stay with you. no buts.”

there is no use arguing with him on this one, is there? your work will have to wait.

releasing the tension you had been holding in with a long sigh, you get in bed, while your boyfriend takes the chair.

“what are you doing?” you ask him. “if you’re going to stay the night i’m not letting you sleep in a chair.”

the pink of zaytun peaches dyes tighnari’s skin prettily.

“no buts. no arguing.” you chuckle, tugging him by the hand. “now, come here.” you tell him, sweetly.

and the fennec fox obliges. for how could he not? when your touch and warmth are so addicting?

besides, you look so cute and comfortable, cuddled against his side like this.

SHINJIDAI - HoneyWorks ft. Cater Diamond, Deuce Spade, Idia Shroud, and Silver

HAVE MERCY ON ME I CHOKED ON MY OWN SCREAM

Emotions- Wanderer (Scaramouche)

●Not edited●

Scaramouche had always thought emotions were exhausting. Just being able to feel as any "normal" being should was exactly what made him imperfect. Feelings made people act stupid and irrational, and he hated it. He hated being able to feel, and he even hated the fact he was capable of hating something. It was a confusing paradox, an intricately woven web he had spun himself.

Yet the sight of you so close to him, so vulnerable as you slept with your back facing him while sharing the same bed of some inn- it was enough to make him reconsider his entire view on emotions. With the moonlight reflecting across your features through the open window, illuminated by the silvery light above, you looked ethereal to him.

He freezes as you shift, turning onto your back yet your eyes stay shut. He gingerly lifts a hand, brushing some hair out of your face. He wants to move his hand away from you, he wants to push you away, physically and emotionally, but another softer side of him still wishes to pull you in even closer. His hand lingers against the side of your face, cupping your cheek while he takes in your features. He adores you, your smile, the way you laugh, the way your hair is sprawled out against the sheets- everything about you is so endearing.

Still fast asleep, you shift closer to him, and he cautiously moves closer to you. Bringing his hand down, he brushes his thumb over your lower lip. He'd love to kiss you right now, love to call you his, yet the thought of possibly putting you in danger because of his selfish desires creates an uneasy knot in his artificial stomach. He leans forward, deciding to place a soft kiss in the middle of your forehead. He can wait for now.

Scaramouche would rather die than be weak enough to catch feelings for some mortal, but he is no longer Scaramouche- he's the Wanderer, and he has no problems admitting to himself that you've captured his synthetic heart.

Twisted Wonderland Navigation

Heartslabyul

Savanaclaw

Octavinelle

Scarabia

Pomefiore

Ignihyde

Diasomnia

Diasomnia Masterlist

~Malleus Draconia

○ The Dorm Leaders With Crushes (Pt. 2)

~Silver

○ N/a

~Sebek Zigvolt

○ N/a

~Lilia Vanrouge

○ N/a

Ignihyde Masterlist

~Idia Shroud

○ The Dorm Leaders With Crushes (Pt. 2)

○ (WIP)

~Ortho Shroud

○ N/a

Pomefiore Masterlist

~Vil Schoenheit

○ The Dorm Leaders With Crushes (Pt. 2)

~Epel Felmier

○ N/a

~Rook Hunt

○ N/a

Scarabia Masterlist

~Kalim Al-Asim

○ The Dorm Leaders With Crushes (Pt. 1)

~Jamil Viper

○ N/a

Octavinelle Masterlist

~Azul Ashengrotto

○ The Dorm Leaders With Crushes (Pt. 1)

~Jade Leech

○ N/a

~Floyd Leech

○ N/a

Savanaclaw Masterlist

~Leona Kingscholar

○ The Dorm Leaders With Crushes (Pt. 1)

~Ruggie Bucchi

○ N/a

~Jack Howl

○ N/a

Heartslabyul Masterlist

~Riddle Rosehearts

○ (Unnamed)

○ The Dorm Leaders With Crushes (Pt. 1)

~Ace Trappola

○ N/a

~Deuce Spade

○ N/a

~Cater Diamond

○ N/a

~Trey Clover

○ N/a

PLEASE, this is so amazing, there's not enough Silver content out there 😭

the trials and tribulations of a third wheel silver x reader (+ platonic! sebek x reader)

summary: sebek, your best friend, finds out that you have a crush on silver; he also finds out that silver has some interest in you. he does not know what he's signed up for when he ends up helping the both of you out

author's note: [see end for full notes] this is like half friendship fic, half romance, but fully written to just be filled with good vibes :> (no unrequited feelings here so no need to worry about that if it bothers you)

tags: gender neutral reader, sfw, fluff, friendship and romance, friends to lovers, attempt at humor, multiple POV, 8.5k+ words, not beta read

[ AO3 link to be added soon ]

I. YOU decide to spill a secret

You should have had the foresight to keep your hands slapped over Sebek’s mouth when you let him in on one of your secrets. Thankfully, it hadn’t been too late to do so and the boy was too surprised to even get mad about your insolence… or whatever fancy word he had in that big brain of his.

“Yeah, yeah, go get your screaming out right now,” you said in a placating manner, as if he was your kid or something, “I’ll let you talk in a bit when, you know, you won’t immediately spill my secrets to everyone outside of this room.”

“Excuse ME!” Sebek exclaimed—or, that was what it sounded like muffled—before getting tired of your behavior, pushing your hands away. To your credit, he could have totally pushed it off a minute ago, so he was at least indulging you… probably. “I’m FAR mature enough to not shout at you OR complain about your horrid taste in men—id est, Silver—to everyone else.”

“Horrid?!” you gasped despite not being surprised at all, “so we’re just gonna pretend you weren’t completely agreeing with everything I was saying about him?”

“That was because I THOUGHT you were talking about–” he stopped mid-hiss, lowering his volume before you could reprimand him yourself– “I thought you were talking about the Young Master! Or if not him, then Master Lilia.”

“I said princelike, not prince.”

“It’s not like he’s anything like the Young Master!... or even Leona Kingscholar, if we want to be generous with the descriptor.”

“And Lilia?”

“He’s majestic in his own right,” he claimed, which you supposed had some truth to it, though you personally saw the third year as someone more mischievous than majestic.

“Okay, fine, fine, my mistake for not clarifying immediately,” you said, not particularly sorry. General misunderstandings aside, there was something funny about watching your mint-haired friend do a spit take (fortunately with no actual drink to spit out). “So if I ended up being into one of them instead, what would you have said?” 

Because honestly, you couldn’t quite tell if he would smite you on the spot—friend or otherwise—or if he would have congratulated you for your efficient, working eyes.

Sebek frowned.

“It would have been weird and I wouldn’t offer to help you,” he admitted, “but I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“And now that you know who I actually like?”

“Even weirder. It’s like… having my friend and a sibling date,” Sebek said, which was his way of telling you that you were giving him the icks, “there could be… there are worse choices, but because it’s you and it’s because it’s him… ugh.”

You wondered which one of you he saw as the sibling and which one was the friend. Knowing Sebek, he would loathe to admit either of you were either one unless he was feeling particularly vulnerable or in an insanely good mood.

After a moment of silence—Sevens, it was just like Sebek to take seriously things that weren’t that big of a deal—and a  minute of staring you down he sighed, sinking into his seat as he slouched for once in his life.

“I don’t know what to do with this information,” he finally said, “am I supposed to give you approval before you start courting him? It would be better to ask his fa– Master Lilia, you know.”

“Why would I ask either one of you for approval? I just like him, I shouldn’t have to ask permission to like someone,” you huffed, “I just felt like telling you is all. Impulse decision.”

“So you don’t have any plans on telling him?”

“Not any time soon, which means you better not say a WORD about this to him either,” you said, only a semi-serious warning. You didn’t think he would, definitely not on purpose, but the idea of Silver having a clue made you nervous. “I know you’re loud as hell, but I trust you.”

Whatever retort or snippy remark Sebek planned to say had been bitten back; he had been unable to hide his smile at the compliment.

“Hmph! My lips are not as loose as you think! I can keep a secret just fine, thank you very much! He won’t even get an inkling of the fact that you carry feelings for him!”

“Alright,” you readily accepted his claim. Honestly, it felt nice to finally tell someone about this crush of yours, even though you wouldn’t have thought Sebek of all people would be the first to know.

“By the way… Not that I need your approval, but do you approve?”

The boy in front of you looks contemplative one second and constipated in another, as if he was holding back from saying something nice, too early in the day to be particularly honest.

“There are worse men to fall in love with than Silver,” he settled with.

“Oh, like who? Like yourself?”

A pillow hit you in the face but you could only laugh at how obvious the lack of strength he put into the throw was.

“Flattering yourself, typical of you. There are few people above you in league and I would be one of them,” he said and you’re unsure if he’s even aware of the praise he just provided. Backhanded, but praise is praise regardless. “Worse as in… my fellow first years.”

“Hah! Traitor behavior! It’s like you’re asking to get told on!” You hit him back with the same pillow, sticking your tongue out as he caught it with one hand.

“Then I’ll go tell Silver right now about this crush of yours!” And just by looking at his grin, you knew the ever serious Sebek had simply been joking. 

He’d shield your secret as best as he could.

II. SEBEK answers a dumb question

In Sebek’s defense, he’s doing the best he can in, for a lack of a more eloquent way to phrase it, shutting the hell up about your crush on his rival. His rival of all people! 

You should get your eyes checked, really, and if his father were an ophthalmologist instead of a dentist he would have taken you with him to Briar Valley already.

So no, maybe he wasn’t actively cheering you on, but you’re one of the few people he can actually rely on and call a friend, so he supposed he wasn’t going to judge you too harshly, even if he thought you could do better (not that there was much better in NRC anyway, so he guessed you already picked your cream of choice from the crop).

Silver would just have to pick up his slack. 

Sure, you told him you needed no help whatsoever, he would at least do his part in making sure his rival would be good for you… or something. He’s not too sure what he’s supposed to even do, really, other than putting his 105% in training instead of the usual 100.

Sebek only has one prevalent issue, that being that he’s having a bit of a hard time not interrogating his sparring partner about you. It’s so DIFFICULT when your secret would loop in his head each greeting Silver gave him in the mornings or when they passed in the hallways.

Difficulty aside, he’s PROUD to say that he’s been very successful in not even uttering your name to the second year, so clearly his good restraint has kept him as trustworthy as usual.

Then a second problem rose out of nowhere, a wrench thrown in his well-kept secrecy.

He had not anticipated that Silver would be the one to bring you up himself. Even more surprising was the way he brought you up—well, it was odd for him to bring you up midst spar, but the way he worded it was the true unusual part.

“Repeat that.”

“Are the two of you in a relationship?”

Would Lord Malleus be angry if he whacked Silver with his own baton? Would you… oh, why was he even questioning it, of course you would, but you wouldn’t have the chance to be mad if he never told you, right? He could keep a second secret.

“Are you joking?!” he asked in spite of Silver’s usual expression. The boy never had a particularly obvious sense of humor.

“It’s a serious question,” Silver replied, narrowly dodging a jab from Sebek, “I’ve never seen you so close to somebody before.”

He scoffed. Was it that unbelievable? 

“WELL–” he had meant to retort that he only spent a perfectly normal amount of time with you (had he been implying he was abandoning his duties?!), promptly followed by calling the notion disgusting (he couldn’t find it in himself to say such a thing), but he instead said– 

“Why does it matter? I’m allowed to be around anyone I want for as long as they mean no harm to the Young Master!”

“I didn’t mean it like that, Sebek. You need to untense,” his rival sighed and the first year had half the mind to hit him in the face (and not with a pillow). HE was the exasperated one, so why was Silver doing the sighing?!

“I was just curious about your friend, that’s all.”

Sebek furrowed his brows. 

“Why?”

While there were no right answers there were certainly a few wrong ones, so he listened carefully, clenching his fists. One demeaning word and he would—

“I was wondering if–”

III. SEBEK reports back to you

“–I hate him? Silver thinks I hate him?!” 

“He was wondering, it wasn’t definitive!” Sebek corrected, catching the piece of popcorn you threw at him. He promptly ate it, never one to waste food. “Hey! I told him you didn’t, so it’s not a big deal anymore.”

“But for a time he thought I didn’t like him,” you argued, “that’s worse than him thinking we were dating!”

Sebek gasped.

“I resent that!” 

“Please, I’m sure you beating him in yesterday’s spar was more than just your skill talking—you were probably appalled at the accusation,” you retorted, “and don’t think I forgot! I heard him talk about a bruise forming!”

“It’ll heal! And he could have dodged it if he was paying attention—he usually does!” he said, though now that you mentioned it, it was odd for Silver to not pay attention to training—usually Sebek was the conversationalist between the both of them. “It’s not like you can see it, so you don’t have to worry about me ruining his face or anything.”

“I’m sure he’s pretty even when injured,” you sniffled, and Sebek gagged. He’d have left you to your own devices already (he already sees Silver everyday, why should he listen to you rave about him?) if you hadn’t offered a nice variety of snacks for him to partake in while you talked.

“Okay, wait, back to the topic—why does he think I hate him?”

“He said that you act differently around him,” he said, placing the word in air quotation marks, “which is Silver speech for you being a weirdo. Did you do something?”

“Huh? Weird?! There’s no way I act weirder around him than I do around you!”

“THAT’S WHAT I WAS SAYING!” he agreed wholeheartedly. Well, he didn’t call you weird to Silver’s face—but that was the gist of what he was thinking, and there was no need to pretend to be polite about it to you. 

Sure you were kind, that much he would admit, but a little… a lot. You were a lot, a lot of the time.

Still, even considering your lack of shame around him he doubted Silver would have seen or heard anything too odd from you. 

“Although there’s always the chance that I’ve just become desensitized considering my unfortunate choices of company.”

“So, so rude,” you huffed, “I swear I’m normal around Silver. I don’t get many chances to talk to him in the first place.”

Sebek blinked. 

“You don’t?”

“I mean, maybe a few times a week?” you replied, suddenly looking embarrassed at the estimate, “I don’t see him everyday, but even if I did I don’t think I could actually say anything more than hello.”

There was a saying, if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say it at all, but if he’d never abided by that saying, nobody would expect him to start following it any time soon.

“So you really had no plan to make him like you back, huh.”

“Is that your way of saying I have no game?”

“I wouldn’t word it that way, but you really don’t!” he ignored your look of offense (he’s not the best at reading faces, but he doubted you were actually offended) in favor of giving some actual advice. “Maybe he thinks you act differently around him because you won’t even talk to him!”

He was on to something, he was sure of it, and by the look you had on your face he was sure you agreed.

“You’re probably right… but I was totally going for that cool and cute and mysterious vibe, you know,” you grumbled, “people always notice those types. I mean, Silver is literally an example of it. 

“I feel like if I actually talk to him about something other than school, he’s going to realize I’m lame.”

He rolled his eyes.

“You are, but that hasn’t stopped me from talking to you,” Sebek said with a shrug, like it wasn’t a big deal or anything, “so if I don’t care, obviously Silver isn’t going to.”

And then he gave you a pat on the head, because he’s not really sure of what else to do. 

“Do you want me to do anything?” Sebek offered, “I won’t say anything to him, but if you want to know his favorite food, or birthday, or weekly class schedule–”

“I feel like you went from zero to one hundred real quick,” you said with a laugh, patting him on the back in return, “but I don't need you to do anything. Some things I should probably find out for myself.”

“If you say so.”

IV. SEBEK stresses out for you

While you were content to not do anything about your crush (said crush didn’t think you hated him anymore so you lost all sense of urgency), Silver himself seemed to want to do something.

And Sebek had to be on the receiving end again. Never again can you call him a bad friend.

“I’m not telling you anything,” he said with a sliver of annoyance, “there’s nothing you can’t figure out for yourself.”

“I tried, but a few minutes into the conversation… I was left behind.”

“Ah…” 

YOU RAN AWAY FROM HIM?!

He cursed you in his head. What were you doing?! Did he not teach you ANYTHING? Well, okay, he technically didn’t because the thought of him giving advice on how to catch Silver’s attention… yeah. Still, you have to face your problems, run up at them! Why were you running away from them like a coward instead?!

“Try harder then,” Sebek said, because that was all he could really say without giving away too much… which, at this point, he was very tempted to do just so you and Silver could stop dragging him into things. 

More Silver than you, really, considering you mostly enjoyed talking over acting… unlike Silver, who preferred acting over talking, and Sebek, who liked talking and acting.

“What are you trying to do anyway?” he asked inquisitively, subconsciously taking on the role of the investigators and detectives he’s read about in those mystery novels. Sebek did not want to be questioned about you, but he was very much interested in questioning Silver on the same topic. It was not hypocrisy, it was a matter of privilege.

Privilege equating to you being his friend, resulting in him knowing things about you that he wasn’t just going to easily shell out without proper reason.

“Since when were you so interested in my friend? This doesn’t feel like you just being curious anymore!” 

He did not bother hiding his suspicion, his head conjuring up all sorts of theories on Silver’s sudden interest. 

Sebek was neither purely optimistic nor purely pessimistic, neither was he a realist either (though he liked to think he was). Thus, his theories ranged from wait what if Silver thinking you hated him was a form of projection as he was the one who hated you to perhaps Silver overheard you talking about some way to stay awake and he wanted to talk to you about it to Silver is in love with you but he’s just as much of a coward when it comes to acting on it.

“It wouldn’t be good if anyone was uncomfortable with me,” the second year replied, “I want to do something to fix it.”

“Huh,” he said, more an expression of his disbelief than an actual question. Sure, Silver could be considered nice, but something about the explanation was off. He’s really not sure why, but he just knows it’s far more personal—that it had to do with that someone being you as opposed to you being just anyone.

“Well, FINE! I’ll give you my assistance just this once, so DON’T put it to waste, Silver!”

V. SILVER gets to talk to you, finally

“Since when were you so interested in my friend?”

Since Silver had seen you with Sebek, if he had to be honest. He hadn’t been sure if that was an acceptable thing to tell someone so he hadn’t admitted it to the younger boy, but that was the truth.

It wasn’t that he had only been aware of you then—he knew you existed, had seen you around more than a few times on campus—but noticing you was inevitable when you chose to stick to a presence as loud as Sebek Zigvolt.

As for why he had taken an interest in you… there were a few reasons. 

The first would probably be curiosity—what kind of person could not only withstand the half-fae’s volume, but could also manage to pull him away from constantly following Malleus (without having to be dismissed in annoyance!)

The second was somewhat Sebek related, but also quite a general reason—it was your general disposition. There was just something heartwarming about the way you interacted with your friends (Sebek in particular—it was hard not to be in awe). Yes, he never made a habit of watching you, but seeing you from the corner of his eye, goofing around and spitting out jokes, never failed to liven up his mood.

The third was… something he couldn’t quite place about your attitude towards him. 

At first he had assumed you hated him, but Sebek in all of his bluntness had expressed exasperation at the idea, so he supposed that wasn’t the case. Silver then figured he was the problem and, well… considering you seemed to have a hard time holding a conversation with him, perhaps that was the case.

It shouldn’t have mattered—people were entitled to dislike whoever they liked—but the idea of you specifically not liking his presence, especially when he enjoyed your presence  on campus… It was quite the upsetting thought. 

He wasn’t asking to be close to you, but it would have been nice to have a few conversations with you in between classes.

Whatever the problem was, Sebek said he would try to help decrease the awkward tension, but… was making himself your chaperone the ideal way to do such a thing?

“SEBEK…!” 

Maybe not, considering you were (angrily? fiercely?) whispering a flurry of things to the mint-haired boy, who was (far more loudly) whispering back. Still, the context clues were not enough for him to figure out what the two of you were conversing about—other than that it was about him.

“Don’t you dare…”

“...push…helping…

“I don’t…I told you already…”

“...assuming…for you…Silver.”

In any other circumstance, he would have pointed out that it was rude of Sebek to be talking about him to someone while he was literally in front of him, but he figured that you would just use it as an excuse to, well, excuse yourself from the situation, so he kept his mouth shut.

At some point the both of you remembered that he was in earshot distance, the two of you owlishly looking at him.

Sebek nudges you, you nudge him right back, and not for the first time Silver wonders if he could ever achieve that level of comfort with you… which was an odd thing to think about, considering he should probably be aiming to at least complete a full conversation first and foremost.

“Hi Silver!” you greeted, as though you had just noticed him, as though he hadn’t been standing there for at least five minutes. 

At least you’re not walking away from him this time around.

“So… what are… Do you need Sebek for something?”

Sebek rolled his eyes but didn’t say a word for once, clearly expecting you or Silver to do most of the talking. Considering his fellow guard was always the more talkative one of the two… that was asking for a lot more than Sebek might have realized.

Right… What now? If Sebek had informed him of this beforehand he might have thought of something to say

Silver looked down at his wrist before realizing he wasn’t wearing a watch, then looked at yours to see if you were—you hadn’t been. He then fished his phone out of his pocket, only to find out that he had forgotten to charge it last night (had he passed out before doing so?), so he turned to Sebek, who only looked mildly disappointed at the silence.

“What time is it?”

“Half past four.”

“Do either of you have any classes left today?”

“We’re both done,” you responded, “why?”

“Maybe we should all get something to eat or drink then,” Silver said, “there’s a lot of tea in Diasomnia, but Mostro should have coffee if you prefer that.”

He’s heard you laugh a dozen times before but you’ve never done it in front of him and sure, you try to stifle it within seconds, but the idea that something about him humored you had him smiling in return.

Even though he wasn’t quite sure what was funny.

“Coffee? You could have just said you wanted Sebek to go away—I’d understand, really.”

“For your information! I can drink coffee as long as there’s milk in it!”

“Yeah right. Coffee with milk? More like milk with coffee.”

The conversation had returned to mostly being led by you and Sebek once more, with Silver responding whenever he felt it suited. Still, all three of you were heading to the same place, so he supposed there was always later in the afternoon to get closer to you.

He feels Sebek pat him on the back during the few seconds you look away to greet someone in passing, and he says,

“You did okay, I guess… but don’t expect me to help you anymore after this.”

He thinks it might just be a compliment, or some form of approval.

VI. SEBEK gives decent advice

“You talked to him just fine yesterday! What do you mean you’re too shy to talk to him again?!”

Things had been going well, hadn’t it? He had watched you interact with Silver and you were actually forming words instead of foaming at the mouth over your crush. You were having a laugh with Silver and discussing your respective hobbies with him, even letting him have a taste of your order! 

Sebek had been all proud of you too, even with the shared jokes about him (which were haha funny, he was so getting back at you later)! What happened?!

“That’s because you were there! I’m too nervous to go up to him on my own!”

“I can’t just be there to babysit you all the time, now can I?!”

He didn’t want to invalidate your feelings or anything of the sort—some conversations in the past with you have led him to realize that—but it was difficult for a partial-bystander, partial-participant like him to not feel frustrated at the situation. 

You’re his friend, and Silver is… Silver is the only other person his age from his hometown, so while he understands that he doesn’t actually have to get involved, he also feels this need to make sure things go well for the both of you. Not necessarily romantically, but anywhere you (and he SUPPOSED Silver) would feel happy would be good in his books.

He gives the both of you a few minutes to just… sit, for him to think with his head and not the stress hormones in his body. The cortisol levels needed to die down just a bit else his blood pressure rise or his digestive sytem weakens.

“Sorry–”

“Stupid,” Sebek interrupted, “don’t say sorry about things you shouldn’t be sorry about. You said what you felt, I replied with what I thought about it, and that’s that. I’m not sorry that I’m kind of annoyed with you sometimes, but you’re not obligated to follow my recommendations either. Be annoyed with me back, if you want to!”

You blinked at him for a few moments, taking your sweet time in having the words sink in your skull, then laughed as you called him stupid back. You probably agreed, or so he would like to think.

“Even if I didn’t want to, you're always annoying, Sebek.”

He ignored your rudeness in favor of returning the conversation back to what it was initially, albeit with some more delicacy on his end.

“Why are you so nervous around him?” Sebek asked, realizing he had never seriously discussed it with you before. He’d poke fun at it, but never really stopped to question why you froze up so easily around your crush. 

Maybe it was because he thought it was the natural thing to do around someone you liked, at least based on the stories he’s heard and read, but there had to be, if not a logical reason, a personal reason behind it.

“I get that you like him and all but he’s just… a regular human.”

“Easy for you to say! Not only have you known him since childhood, but you’re also not a regular human!” you interjected. Despite the jab you did seem to want to answer properly, so he let you collect your thoughts for a minute, figure out how to explain yourself.

“I don’t know. I guess I’ve always liked him from afar,” you admitted, “he was this… handsome and shining figure—quiet, but charming and diligent. He was just… so cool that I couldn’t help but admire him.”

Sebek would have pretended to gag at any other time, but upon listening to you he wondered what Silver would have felt had he heard the way you described him, how far it was from hatred.

“What do you think about him after talking to him yesterday?”

“He… he was so considerate even though I thought I was being a complete weirdo sometimes! So kind and helpful and occasionally funny. Was it possible for someone to be so…wow!” Despite the slew or praises leaving your lips, the irony of you sounding as if you were lamenting your feelings was not lost on him. 

“I think I like him more than I thought. It’s making me more nervous, just thinking about interacting with him and messing up somehow.”

It was then that Sebek had come to a realization, an actual finding as opposed to another hypothesis—the way you saw Silver, the way Silver saw you, the obstacles in your path that blocked you from being comfortable with the guy you liked so much.

“Silver’s just a guy.”

“He’s–”

“No, listen to me,” Sebek interrupted. He’s always had a voice that demanded to be listened to, booming like thunder, but when his voice was steady and firm it was like he was asking, maybe even begging. 

“I don’t mean it like it’s a bad thing. I’m just saying that no matter how perfect and amazing you think he is, he is just a normal guy,” he said, “so it’s okay if you mess up because he messes up too… a lot, actually.”

You wouldn’t say anything at first and he wondered if you perhaps didn’t believe him, or if he worded things a bit harshly. Should he try to lighten the mood? Should he double down and explain some more?

“I’m serious! I can list a whole bunch off the top of my head right this instant if you want!”

“No! No, not needed. I feel like I should hear that from Silver himself? Or Lilia? You spent your childhoods with him, right?”

Your laughter only stayed for a second or two, but the length didn’t matter much. As long as it was genuine.

“That… might actually be some really good advice,” you admitted; he was only able to detect a smidge of disbelief, “it’d be nice if you took… ah, nevermind.”

“You can say what you want to say.”

“I’ll save it for later,” you replied, shaking your head, “otherwise we’d be cooped up in my room until sunrise talking about all our issues.”

“You talk as if I haven’t been on the receiving end of that before.”

“Okay, point.”

A few minutes pass where neither of you do any talking and while it’s not uncomfortable Sebek does wonder if he should get up and leave, if you would prefer to be left to your own devices. Before he can do that, however, you ask one last question.

“Do you think I could ever be this comfortable with Silver? You know, where I can rant to him, or talk about any insecurities I have, or anything along those lines.”

He’s not really sure if the question was rhetorical, more you pondering and less expecting an answer out of him, but he replies with his thoughts anyway.

“Maybe start with your hobbies first, or his favorite food or something,” Sebek says, only half joking, “but if… once you get closer? I might have to start arguing with him about who knows you better!”

“Stupid…you already argue with him about everything anyway!”

VII. SILVER talks to you, the sequel

Sebek can’t chaperone you all the time. Friendship aside, he’s a busy first year with other people to follow around and other people to (excitedly) ask about their days, after all.

That’s what Sebek tells Silver, although the latter’s not sure why he’s suddenly become the replacement to keep you company, or why you need a replacement at all. 

The answer is probably that you don’t. You’ve escorted yourself from class to your room just fine before Sebek became your friend and it’s not like you’ve forgotten how to do it on your own. 

He’s well aware that Sebek’s trying to get him to do something and while he’s not sure what it could be, Silver had no plans to say no anyway. 

He’s been wanting to talk to you again—reasons difficult to describe but could at least be summed up as simply wanting to be around you—so for as long as his presence isn’t needed elsewhere he’ll take the chance to do so.

(Something in his gut tells him neither his father nor Sebek will try to call his cell phone anytime soon.)

He made his way from his last class to yours… but not before drinking the leftovers of his afternoon coffee—just in case. He’s sure you know of his predicament and he has no doubts you’ll be nice about it, but it’d be upsetting if a conversation with you was cut short.

You smile upon meeting his eyes and he can’t help himself from smiling back. It wasn’t that he was trying to stop himself from doing so, but more so that it was less a conscious choice and more a natural reaction. You actually seemed happy to see him this time, and the thought of you being happy because of that made him… glad. 

He’s not as verbose as… literally every fae (and half-fae, on that account) he knows, but the word seemed good enough to describe his present feelings.

“I feel like I should apologize on Sebek’s behalf,” you said, trailing after him as the both of you moved through the crowded hallways, “he’s… he means well, but he likes to meddle.”

He understands what you mean—Sebek at his very core is a well-meaning worrywart, but he doesn’t really get what that has to do with you. He simply assumed that this was Sebek going against his once-in-this-lifetime-assistance promise, but apparently you knew something about the first year’s motivations that he didn’t.

That or Sebek had ratted him out, which was just… awkward. Imagining himself explaining his thought process… He himself was having difficulties sorting it out, new reasons popping up one after another, so having to choose what reason to give you or worse, having to tell you everything… 

No thank you.

“That’s just how he is,” he shrugged, “but I don't mind. I enjoy talking to you.”

“Sorry?!” you sputtered, as though unable to fathom the thought of it. Before he could repeat himself or ask why you seemed shocked, you followed up with, “I… not that I don’t feel the same, but why?”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” he asked, eyebrows furrowed, “does there have to be a reason?”

He does have his reasons, but all the same those reasons stemmed from him simply feeling that way, not exactly anything logical he could explain.

“I guess not, but we’ve only had a proper conversation… like, last time? All the other times I, uh, cut it off short,” you looked a bit sheepish at the admission. “Sorry about that by the way. I didn’t hate you or anything.”

Oh. Unless you were particularly good at reading his thoughts, Sebek did relay back to you about some things he asked about you. 

While he’s not as competitive as the younger boy, he’ll try to get back at him next training.

“That’s good,” he said, a small sense of relief filling him. Not that he thought Sebek was lying, but it was still nice to hear it from you. “It would be bad if you did, since…”

He thought about your question again—what could he possibly say to get you to understand without being too upfront, or vague, or confusing?

“Since?”

“Talking to you is a good way to relax after class,” Silver said, admittedly just saying the first reason he could think of, which was what he thought to be a decently-worded depiction of the truth. 

“Well, when you put it like that, I totally get what you–”

“Seeing you soothes me.”

Maybe Silver shouldn’t have said that last portion. However, what’s done is already done, and while you keep walking with him, you neither look at him nor speak to him. He wished he could understand what you were thinking, or that he could ask someone for advice at this moment without you knowing.

Realistically the silence lasts only for a minute or two, but by the time that you break it it feels like ten at the last, and it’s to the point that he inwardly sighs in relief that you don’t seem particularly upset or perturbed.

“I feel the same,” you replied, “similarly, I mean… maybe not the exact same, there’s probably some differences, but, you know.”

“Right,” he agreed, simply happy that his current feelings towards you were not seen as anything odd, that it was mutual. 

“So… Do you have to go back to your room immediately?” Silver asked, “I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to drink or eat again today.”

VIII. SEBEK tries to give love advice

“Silver, why are you in my room?!” 

That was the first question Sebek had asked Silver. The second was,

“Why are you asking me? Go ask Master Lilia!”

Normally Sebek would try to answer any question thrown at him, mostly because he found himself knowledgeable enough to at least be able to answer anything academic, but Silver’s questions were so far removed from the academic curriculum. It wasn’t even training or physical fitness related!

Books and (unsolicited) advice from his parents (and Silver’s father) aside, he’s NOT IN A RELATIONSHIP! NEVER BEEN, NO PLANS TO BE FOR A LONG TIME (note: while in Night Raven College), so just why did Silver think HE was the person to go for things like this!

He only put up with it because you’re a friend! What’s Silver’s excuse?

“But the two of you are best friends? So it would be better to ask you for advice, right?”

… Okay, maybe Silver had him there.

“Okay, FINE!” Sebek sighed, pulling out a chair—for himself, of course. The intruder could stand there all he wanted. “What’s the issue now?”

Seriously! It’s been, what, a month or two of the both of you talking normally (meaning without his help) and hanging out (again, finally without him trailing after to make sure neither one of you messed up somehow, or checking up on you every so often through text to make sure Silver hasn’t said anything to break your heart or whatever), but somehow neither one of you have made a move! What is going on?!

Again, he was too busy with academics and it’d be nice if everyone followed suit with that mentality, but if the feelings are already there? Might as well act on it! As long as Silver didn’t slack off in training, as long as you wouldn’t be too distracted with love to focus on your classes, wasn’t it alright?

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but I think I… no, I’m sure that I like…” Silver paused, as if rethinking his decision to tell Sebek after all. Honestly, Sebek already anticipated the question, so he really didn’t need to continue. Still, he admired his lack of cowardice and ability to actually speak your name.

“As you should,” he replied instantly, thanking the Great Seven that progress was finally being made! “I would be surprised if you didn’t.”

“Sebek, just to clarify, I don’t mean it in a purely platonic manner.”

If he was talking to you, he probably would find a more delicate, but still very much genuinely him way to word his upcoming statement. It’s Silver, though, so he speaks his truth unabashedly.

“Silver, I KNOW!” Sebek huffed, with neither the grace nor sensitivity he believed people typically wanted in situations like these. “Imagine! Someone tells you they think your friend’s laughter reminds them of the chirping of birds, that their smile is like the coming of springtime. Do you think me incapable of connecting the dots, Silver?”

Really, he was getting used to hearing the compliments from you, but hearing them from Silver made him want to grab one of the horses from the stable and simply get as far away as possible. It reminded him of his parents and their sickly sweet words to each other, except this was obviously worse because his parents were together, the both of you were not… yet!

“Hold on,” Silver said, and Sebek doesn’t get why he wouldn’t just spit it out already. Hold on to what? His patience? He was trying because you deserved a good confession straight from the source and not from a third party (otherwise known as him)!

“If you know, and you’ve known for a while now, then–”

“No, of course not! Do you think I possess the audacity to tell on you?” he huffed, honestly taking offense at the implication. Sure, he’s told on Silver here and there, and maybe a few other times once or twice because he deserved it, but CERTAINLY not with something as important as feelings!

“If anything, I’m upset that you’ve told me first! Should you not be acting on your feelings instead?”

“I came here to ask for advice, remember?”

Sebek frowned. Why do humans have to make things complicated?

“You don’t need advice! Just don’t break my friend’s heart and don’t confess half-heartedly! Is that not simple?”

Silver looked stunned by something for once, which honestly? Good! At least that meant the information was being absorbed into that brain of his.

“Huh. That might actually be decent advice, coming from you.”

Déjà vu aside, he huffed in reply.

“Don’t be surprised, of course I can give decent advice,” he said, “even if I don’t want to give any. So don’t ask me again.” Just please get together already so I can sleep peacefully at night without having to worry about this for once! 

Silver only smiles and says thank you, as though he knew Sebek would not be able to stop himself from providing his assistance anyway if either you or him needed it.

IX. YOU and SILVER finally talk about that 

Unbeknownst to each other, the both of you have thought about being the one to confess first. It’s partially motivated by Sebek, who genuinely seems to be positive that nothing will go wrong and that it is merely nervousness keeping the both of you from reaching some storybook happily ever after. Realistically the both of you know that reality can often be different from expectations, but his optimism is quite infectious.

The other motivator is simply the both of you not being able to help yourselves from spilling out phrases of praise for the other, not merely to Sebek but to your fellow peers as well. 

And, well, the idea that even if the feelings were not returned, the receiving party would at least be gentle with the rejection.

Plans aside, neither of you actually thought today would be the day, but Sebek had excused himself early (something to do with his Young Master Malleus, who Silver knew wasn’t actually requesting for his presence at all) and it did not look like he was coming back anytime soon.

“He’s been doing that lately,” you said, as used to it as Silver is, “leaving the both of us together.”

“So you’ve noticed it as well,” he replied, though it would be surprising if you hadn’t, “that time at the library–”

“And that time in the greenhouse–”

“When we left campus as well to roam around town, then he simply left us to join some of the other first years.”

There were so many chances even when your mutual friend wasn’t making them out of his own volition, but none of those times seemed particularly right to say anything, moreso just a chance to spend more time with each other, a chance both of you were eager to take. 

Something about this afternoon—or evening, or the time in between the both of them—was different from all the afternoons you’ve spent together, though.

Maybe it was because of the sky—the explosion of pinks and purples and blues as the dusk began to settle, a sky that reminded you of Silver’s eyes, not necessarily in hue but in its salience, a call to attention. 

Maybe it was because it was a quiet, peaceful time—a fair weather that Silver found himself prone to falling asleep to, and yet he felt no sense of drowsiness or tiredness whatsoever, merely contentment to be seated next to you.

“You know, I asked Sebek once, a few months ago, if he thought I could ever become close to you,” you admitted, with just enough courage to stare him straight in the face. “I know I already said sorry, but sorry about all those times I ran away from you. You made me nervous sometimes.”

“I asked him about something similar before, too.” Sort of, although he was far more straightforward when it came to questioning him about you. He can admit now that he’s glad that the boy kept his lips sealed quite tightly, a certain delight in learning things about you through you yourself.

“Is there a reason to be nervous around me, though? I’m having a tough time envisioning anything I’ve done to warrant that…”

You laughed, a tinge of embarrassment slipping out—perhaps directed at your past, perhaps because of the present, or how your next choice of words could affect the future. 

“Because I liked you.”

It’s silent for a few moments, the loudest sounds being that of the rustling leaves and the critters of a nearby forest, but strangely enough it’s not as scary as you thought it would be. At the very least, that’s what you will keep telling yourself—your affections are a secret begging to be spilled.

“Even though I never talked to you that much, I just enjoyed seeing you go about your day out of the corner of my eye. I like the way you carry yourself—you’re so cool and laidback and devoted that I thought I would embarrass myself if I even spoke a word to you,” you said, shaking your head at the memories, “I used to think you were so perfect compared to me.”

“I’m not–”

“I realized that eventually,” you intercepted. As brave as you found yourself at this moment, you were scared that if you were not to say your peace immediately, the conversation could be derailed, or that you would lose the courage to confess completely. “I’m glad I did. I don’t think I would have gotten to spend time with you like this otherwise.”

“Then… I’m glad you did, too,” Silver said in agreement, “because I was in a similar situation.”

“You were?!”

“Somewhat. It’s more in the sense that… Do you remember when I told you I thought your presence was soothing?” He waited for a second, continuing when you nodded your head. “That wasn’t a lie, but it was also a bit of an understatement. 

“For the longest time I’ve always enjoyed your presence, and it came to a point where I wanted to be around you more often and to get to know you instead of just being at the same time and place as you,” Silver said, “I think we just had different approaches to our feelings.”

“That sounds about right,” you replied, finding some humor in the situation, “I guess it’s a good thing that we found our way to becoming friends somehow.”

“It was.”

Neither you nor Silver follow up on that right away. It’s not that it’s not possible to say what either one of you have been leading up to anymore, but more so figuring out how to lead up to it. Was there a particular way the other wanted to hear it, and how could they combine that with their own words and feelings?

“You said you liked me,” Silver said, giving pause as if to allow you some time to correct him, or to clarify that you meant one way and not the other. 

The idea of you liking him had never occurred to him.

Well, no, that wouldn’t be right—he’s thought of it before, but it was always attached with the plan of him having to take you out on a date or two first, or at the very least asking to be given a chance to win you over. 

Still, he can’t find it in himself to mourn that he had not realized sooner. There was always a proper timing to these things, and if now was the perfect moment to strike, to act on it, then so be it.

“Do you still like me?”

“...That’s not a very fair question,” you said. It’s a half-hearted complaint at best, more of a request on your behalf than anything, but Silver heeded it regardless.

“Sorry, you’re right,” he replied, “then let me be the one to tell you first.”

Silver takes a deep breath, shakes off any nerves that could still be on him, and, for as much as you would allow, looks you straight in the eye as he conveys his confession.

“I like you. I’ve liked you for a while now, I hope it’s okay with you that I feel this way,” he says. He’s as serious as ever, but he says it in such a gentle, tender manner that the already tranquil mood lightens even further. 

Subconsciously, the both of you realize it then—if there were any odds against him, against you, none of them existed now. There could only be a happy ending written for the both of you.

“Being around you calms me, and yet I find myself staying awake for as long as possible just so I can listen to you. Even when I end up falling asleep I know I can trust you to wake me up, and when I do wake up, I find myself more rejuvenated than usual because your face is the first thing I see.

“I thank you for always gracing me with your presence, but all the same I want something more with you,” Silver trails off after, letting out a small huff of laughter as a sheepish grin settles on his face. “Is that too forward? I’ve been told that I could be quite…”

“Not at all.”

The tips of your fingers tap against his knuckles before enveloping his clenched fist with your hand. Any vulnerabilities, words and feelings never spoken until today, will be held carefully by you—and when he relaxes his body, his palm glides against yours, and he promises that he will carry your affections just as gently as you do his own.

X. SEBEK receives his well-deserved peace, somewhat (OUTTAKE)

Sebek was well-aware of his role in your relationship, so he was not the least bit surprised that you and Silver would (separately, and then once more together) not only make sure he was the first to find out, but to thank him for his services as well.

He alternated between rolling his eyes and pretending his help was no big deal and demanding that he be recognized for his efforts, all before eventually not being able to help himself from bursting into a grin and congratulating the both of you.

Mostly you, but he wasn’t sure he was able to hide his approval properly from Silver.

Sebek was genuinely happy for the both of you, of course, but he would not deny that a part of his delight stemmed from no longer having to be on the receiving end of whatever will-they-won’t-they trope the both of you were applying. Even when he wasn’t losing his mind listening to the both of you, he was losing it by watching the both of you interact (at a distance. What was he, a stalker? He had more important things to do than pay attention to a budding romance!)

For the most part, peace was achieved. You still invited him out frequently, sometimes with Silver and sometimes without, and nothing really changed between him and Silver either other than having another mutual person to protect.

What Sebek did not anticipate was to be on the receiving end of questions from the two he respected the most—one who was upset to be told of the recent developments later than he would have wanted, and another who was ready to pry any details his foster son neglected to tell him.

This was Silver’s fault, so why was he on the receiving end of the complaints all of a sudden?! Was this what he got for keeping his mouth shut?!

“Silver…!”

His rival better prepare—even if he was your significant other, he won’t be exempt from his wrath tomorrow morning.

end notes | masterlist of all my works

[1] The initial idea for the fic was pure humor and fluff with a bunch of clichés and Silver being jealous of protective BFF Sebek and reader. I kept the Sebek BFF dynamic because I love him, though his protectiveness is actually toned down to something more "I have my eye on you but you're free to get to know my friend just treat them well" than pure "Silver you are on my DNI list".

[2] I also mostly discarded the jealous Silver idea. Silver is less "I'm jealous that Sebek is your s/o even though he actually isn't" (made sure to have Sebek clarify it right away) and more "I'm jealous that he was able to form this genuine connection with you, and that other people can be in your presence. I want to be one of the people in your circle too." I don't mind the first type of jealousy, I think it's cute when played for laughs + good drama if executed well, but it's not what I was going for.

[3] I also tried to get the idea across immediately that Sebek does not have romantic feelings for the reader. I didn't want to use that trope. I don't want him to be sad. In the platonic sense, he loves reader and Silver (would rather die than admit it), so he's in this spot where he thinks it's "ew gross" but also "you're both good people so you should both be happy and i want to be supportive but why are both of you taking so long why are u stupid oh seven let this go well i will scream if this doesn't"

[4] Chemistry is one of the subjects I was weaker in back in high school so excuse my bare minimum research but Sebek feels like the type to go "MY CORTISOL CIRCULATION IS IN HIGH LEVELS RIGHT NOW DO NOT APPROACH OR I WILL YELL AT YOU" instead of "wow im fucking stressed!" like any other normie would lol

[5] Another thing I was a bit delicate with is Sebek's pushing, and that while he has his frustrations he doesn't completely diminish reader's insecurities or difficulty in talking with Silver specifically. I imagine that it happened in the past, but he's probably working to be more understanding of others, reader in particular bc friendship and favoritism lol.

[6] I was really stuck on what I think Silver would appreciate the most in a person and how he would fall in love with them. Of course all dynamics are fun and I want to use different personalities and types of readers in the future, but for this one I decided to have reader remind Silver of the pleasant and peaceful things in life. I liked the idea that they've both admired each other from a far, like a "this person really heals me…" but while Silver wants to get closer and tries to act on it, Reader instinctively wants to run away bc they like him so much. The pure romance trope, basically.

[7] I decided to not explore the whole "falling in love" process, like dates and stuff, mostly to allow the reader some flexibility in imagining what activities or conversations or whatnot Silver and reader have had. Compared to my other fics, that's not really the purpose of this one.

The Dorm Leaders With Crushes (Pt. 2)

●Not edited○OOC Characters (?)●

Vil Schoenheit

"As if I could ever develop romantic attraction toward some lowly potato spuds. There is no one in Twisted Wonderland worthy of my affections."

○ Vil isn't completely lying, this was his viewpoint, until he accidentally developed a crush

○ Vil has experienced crushes in the past, mainly on actors he looked up to as a young boy, but he isn't very good at dealing with them. Because of this, he thinks they're quite bothersome, and are most likely to interfere with his career

○ It takes Vil an extremely long time to develop a crush on someone. He's probably only ever had two, in all his eighteen years of living. He had genuinely accepted that he'd most likely remain single, and his top priority was to better himself further, so he wasn't actively looking for love. But of course you had to stroll into this world, of course you had to grow close to Vil, and of course he had to develop feelings for you

○ It actually took Vil a while to put two and two together. While he knew others in his dorm complained of him favoring you, Vil just chalked it up to them being jealous. When Rook, however, pointed out his blatant favoritism, it finally clicked for Vil

○ As stated before, it takes Vil a very long time to figure out that he sees you in that light. Vil is a bit finicky with who he "allows" himself to like, and unless he sees you as worthy, the thought won't cross his mind. Having met you at the beginning of his third year, it would most likely be some time towards the end of that year, or even the beginning of his fourth year at Night Raven College when he realizes he likes you

○ Vil can and will admit his feelings to you, but he won't do it immediately. He wants to go through all the necessary steps, ensuring you like him as well, and that you're both ready for a real relationship

○ Vil is first amd foremost, a gentleman, and will never do anything to make you uncomfortable. While he can be strict, serious, and honestly quite terrifying, he also has a softer side to him. He's recognized the progress you've made on any self improvement you've worked on, and he most likely will lead with that when the time comes to confess

"Spudling... No, I can't even call you that anymore. You've grown so much, you've blossomed into a lovely flower, Prefect. I commend you for your hard work, you've earned both my respect and my affections, Potato Flower."

Idia Shroud

"W-what? Why are you suddenly bringing this topic up? Of course I don't have a crush!"

○ He's a horrible liar; with the way Idia's hair is flaming pink, anyone can recognize his obvious crush on you

○ Idia knows only far too well what a crush is, not only is he secretly (obviously) crushing on fictional characters, he's also had multiple crushes in the past

○ While he is very experienced with the emotion, Idia actually dislikes the thought of romantic relationships. Don't get him wrong, Idia loves the idea of loving someone and someone else loving him, but his self confidence suffered a pretty harsh blow knowing the only person who has ever wanted him was a dead woman who nearly killed him, and even she left him at the altar! He's very negative about his love life

○ Idia develops crushes quite quickly, but they also fizzle out very fast, too. One day he'll be telling Ortho about a new friend his age he met online, and a day later he's forgotten their existence because he doesn't care any more. You were a different story, though; you were a real person Idia could actually interact with. And while the thought absolutely horrified him, he eventually found the courage to befriend you (Ortho forced him)

○ As cheesy as it sounds, Idia almost immediately liked you from the moment he saw you. How it works with him is he sees someone attractive, develops and interest, and personality will wither break that interest or enhance it.

○ What made him realize that he was absolutely down bad for you though, was when you were gaming with him online while he was sick one night. Idia had felt a sneeze coming on, and kept trying to prevent it so he could continue chatting with you through his headphones. Eventually he couldnt suppress it, and Idia ended up doing a soft kitten-sneeze. You called him cute, and Idia has never been the same since

○ Idia would rather die than make himself look like a fool by pouring his heart put to you. Part of it may be some unresolved trauma from Eliza, and part of it is just his self-hatred telling him he could never have someone like you. Prove him wrong

○ Idia is very, very inexperienced, he's probably never even held hands with anyone so you're more than likely going to have to make the first move, or be extremely patient and he'll eventually start leaving very little hints that he likes you. Majority of it is compliments that can sound like insults if you think too hard on it, but Idia doesn't mean it that way, he's just very socially awkward and he's trying his best

"Wow, you're surprisingly good at this game. A-ah, I didn't mean it like that, I mean I'm, er- just surprised because so many people suck at this game and you're doing great! But of course you are, I mean you're amazing! S-shit, I'm gonna shut up now!"

Malleus Draconia

"Lilia, what is a 'crush'?"○ Poor boy has no idea what a crush even is, nor what it feels like to experience romantic attraction to anyone

○ Once somebody (most likely Lilia) breaks it down for him, Malleus actually quite enjoys the idea of having a crush, though he still doesn't completely understand it

○ Contrary to what most people would believe, Malleus can develop crushes very quickly under the right circumstances. If you're kind to him and treat him as you would anyone else instead of the Prince of Briar Valley, then he's crushing

○ Lilia would most likely have to point it out to Malleus that the feelings he's experiencing aren't solely platonic. Despite having lived a longer life than most humans, Malleus has never experienced anything like this, and can't recognize whatever emotion this is

○ It doesn't take a very long time for Malleus to find out that he likes you. Between the longing stares, more frequent smiles, and his obvious attempts at impressing you, one of his guards is going to ask him about his behavior, prompting him to research this new feeling in his chest

○ Malleus has no problem admitting his feelings to you, his problem is that he doesn't want to pressure you, or make things awkward if you don't feel the same way. You're one of his most important human friends (besides Silver), he doesn't want to ruin your relationship- platonic or romantic

○ He's not used to going out of his way for others, but Malleus will do his best to ensure that you've fallen for him. This warm feeling is strange and new, but if it's for you, he'll embrace it

"Child of man, you have been the object of my affections for some time now. I would like to take the next step in our relationship, but only if you are willing."

The Dorm Leaders With Crushes (Pt. 1)

●Not edited○OOC Characters (?)●

Riddle Rosehearts

"A crush? Pathetic, romantic feelings are a waste of time."

○ Riddle's just embarrassed because he does, in fact, have a crush

○ Riddle genuinely doesn't mind crushes, though he says otherwise, he believes they are a natural part of life. Unfortunately his mother drilled it into his head at a young age that any and all forms of attraction are a sin, so he's initially very repulsed with himself for developing these feelings

○ He's never had a crush due to homeschooling, and he didn't expect to develop one while at Night Raven College, but it developed fast. Immediately after seeing you at the entrance ceremony, Riddle's brain went "That's the one," as you were getting screeched at by a feral Grim

○ Riddle first recognized his true feelings for you after his overblot, when you grabbed him by the hand and helped him up from the ground. He had an inkling he might have liked you before, but you didn't get a very good first impression of each other, so he left it alone

○ Riddle is quite smart, and he is able to recognize these feelings rather quickly. Despite not really ever feeling any romantic attraction before, he's quick to understand it. What deters him from actually doing anything is both his inexperience with romance and his position as dorm leader; he doesn't want his newfound feelings for you to distract him from his duties

○ The Queen of Heartslabyul yet the King of Avoiding His Feelings. Riddle knows full well he likes you, and he can tell you like him back based on your body language, yet he won't say anything. Ever. He may drop a very, very tiny hint, but he's inexperienced with this, so he's very shy when it comes to you

○ Either you will have to make a move on him, or find a way to get him to accidentally confess, otherwise his lips are sealed. Luckily, while Riddle may be a tad more lenient with you when it comes to breaking rules, if you break enough, he just may end up snapping

"This is unacceptable, you've broken thirteen rules in the past few hours! I'm so disappointed, both in you and myself; I can't believe I had the gall to develop a crush on someone worse than Ace... Wait, no!"

Leona Kingscholar

"What are you blabbering on about? I don't care about some dumb crush."

○ Leona knows what crushes are, but he's the least likely to develop one. He's the twenty year old dorm leader of Savanaclaw, most students at Night Raven College are usually fifteen to nineteen, and Leona is anything but a creep

○ He doesn't really have any sort of an opinion on crushes, they're just something that hapoens from time to time. The only distinctive feeling he has towards it is that it's a waste of time, like many other things, because it takes a lot of effort

○ It takes a while for Leona to develop a crush, and even longer for him to decide whether it's important enough for him to want to act in it, or to disregard the feeling completely. He doesn't necessarily have a type, he just doesn't care about people he deems unimportant

○ Leona is very smart when he puts in the effort to try, yet he's a little dense when it comes to matters of the heart. No matter what your gender is, you would most likely have to point it out to him that he treats you differently than others. From there, Leona begins to notice how he feels differently about you compared to anyone else, and then he'll figure out if he wants to pursue a relationship or not

○ It takes Leona a few months to figure out that he's crushing on you. While he claims he's too mature for a schoolboy crush, that's exactly how he feels when he sees you stop by the botanical gardens to quietly study while he's "sleeping" (Leona won't admit it, but he's faking it so he can spend time with you without scaring you off)

○ He's not the best at talking about his feelings. Leona might even spend some time in denial about the fact that he likes you, insisting you're just an insignificant herbivore, and that he doesn't deserve you- he's wrong about both, however

○ Once he's accepted that he likes you, and is convinced you feel the same, Leona is quite smug, and insists you ask him out. He'll corner you in the back of the garden, a grin tugging the corners of his lips up while he insists you ask him on a date

"Come on, little herbivore, I don't bite. If you don't want this, then I'll leave and we'll never speak of this again. But if you do, then just say the words, and I'll be yours."

Azul Ashengrotto

"A 'crush', you say? Unfortunately, I don't have one; I'm far too busy to deal with my own emotions."

○ Azul swears up and down he doesn't have a crush, and he doesn't think he has one, but the twins point it out how obvious he is when he talks to you

○ He's never actually given much thought to crushes; Azul's most likely had some in the past, but never acted on anything because he deemed it as a distraction from his goals

○ It takes a bit of time before Azul can develop a crush. Unlike some of the other dorm leaders, Azul can't develop a crush solely on appearances, he has to get to know someone first, and then develops feeling for them. Unfortunately, that means he's usually immediately friend-zoned

○ Jade and Floyd most likely had to spell it out for Azul that he liked you. Azul has a tendency to talk about you a bit more than others; it's not very noticable, but the twins picked up on it. So when Floyd complains that the Octavinelle dorm leader is always talking about you, and Jade agrees with him, Azul is a little stunned for a moment

○ Azul is very smart; he's intelligent and a good, albeit shady, businessman. However, with more emotional matters, he's not the brightest. Azul isn't very good at picking up on crushes, and when he does, he goes through a stage of denial because "How can [he] be a good dorm leader and manager of the Mostro Lounge if [he is] distracted by a silly crush?" It probably took a month after developing the crush to recognize it

○ As mentioned before, Azul will deny his feelings for a short period of time, and he might avoid you during this time. It isn't because of you, you're not the issue, it's just he's worried about his many duties. Additionally, although he'd never admit it, Azul is extremely insecure, and a large part of him thinks that he's too shady, too unworthy to be with you

○ Eventually Azul will accept his feelings, and though he'd prefer to not act on them, the twins "convince" Azul to do otherwise. He'll slowly start leaving hints, becoming a tad more flirty and helpful towards you. However, it may take a while before an actual confession escapes his lips

"Prefect, I know our relationship is... difficult, to say the least, and it's a friendship I'm grateful for, but I'm afraid it may not be enough. How would you like to go to town this weekend? I-In exchange for some help around the Mostro Lounge, of course."

Kalim Al-Asim

"Ooh, a crush? I do have one right now actually! And it's on the best person in Twisted Wonderland!"

○ Kalim is probably one of the only students at Night Raven College to know what a crush is, and admit that they have one

○ Kalim actually finds crushes very cute! He thinks it's sweet to like someone, and to value them as a person. He also just likes the giddy feeling that comes with having a crush

○ He can develop crushes relatively quickly, but Kalim is just not the best at recognizing the feeling. It's the sort of thing where he'll look back at a friend he used to have a few years prior, and suddenly go "Oh, I think I used to like them." At least with you, it was a bit easier to recognize

○ Kalim is always talking about you and how much he adores you, no matter what. He sees no problem in expressing how amazing your "friends" are. But Jamil most likely made a snarky comment about how if Kalim loves you so much, he should marry you. Kalim's face had heated up so badly, he thought he would explode, before he squeaked out a "Maybe I will!"

○ It won't take too long for Kalim to finally figure out that you're more than a friend to him. After Jamil points out his obvious adoration of you, Kalim is quick to realize just what the feeling he's experiencing is

○ Kalim will absolutely admit his feelings to you, but because he's so friendly and because he does it so frequently, he's worried you think it's a joke when he says "I love you"

○ Kalim is a little socially unaware, but he truly means well. If you're ever uncomfortable with his displays of affection, he'll immediately stop. He really does like you though, to the point where a wave from you across the cafeteria is enough to have him blabbing to Jamil about how much he adores you

"I love you! I mean, I know I say it a lot, and it might not be 'love' like that yet, but I really like you! But you don't feel the same, that's okay! You're my best friend and I don't want to ruin that!"

● Sorry for the delay in writing, preparing for finals has been tough, but I'm officially finished with my exams and I'll be writing more often now

○Not edited•Very minor spoilers for book one•Pre-Overblot Riddle○

A hot wave of guilt washes over you, burning your skin as you stare up at the redhead in front of you. He glowers down at you from his throne, visibly judging everything about you. The black and red collar he's infamous for serves as a shackle around your throat, your hands also bound by magic behind you as you rest on your knees in the center of the empty courtroom.

"I dont understand," you start. "Riddle, plea-"THUD!

"You shall address me as 'Housewarden Rosehearts'," The dorm leader interrupts, loudly striking his scepter down to the tiled floor. "Disrespectful, how you waltz in here acting so ill-mannered and dissolute. You have no regard for the Queen of Hearts' rules, and you lack any basic morals and dignity!" Riddle shoots out of his seat as he scolds you, his face visibly becoming more red. You flinch as he points his golden scepter at your head.

"I haven't done anything!" You defend yourself. In the split second it takes to blink, the dorm leader has vanished from his pedestal high above you. You immediately whip around upon hearing Riddle's heels clicking and clacking against the tile behind you. "How...?"

"I never took you for this big a fool." He eerily chuckles, shaking his head. The second year circles you as a shark circles their defenseless prey, gauging your reactions, predicting your next move. "Rule fifty-three of the Queen of Hearts states, 'stolen items must be replaced'."

"I haven't stolen anything." You retort. "Ace was the one who ate the tart, you know that!"

"This isn't about the tart, Prefect," Riddle practically snarls. He keeps a small yet menacing smirk on his face, finally stopping directly in front of you. "You don't need to lie any longer, now. Did you think you could get away with it, darling Prefect?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." You're seething, tears threatening to spill from your eyes out of pure frustration. Riddle kneels down, cupping your face rather gently compared to his harsh words.

"It's my heart you've stolen, and I demand compensation." He leans in closer, the carmine locks of his bangs tickling your nose. "Now, what do you have to offer?"

Helloo, I'm Lina (she/her), and this blog is a mixture of a wee bit of writing and mainly freaking out over fictional men. Not as active as I'd like to be

○Rules and Fandoms I will write for can be found here

~Have a lovely time, and enjoy yourself~

Masterlists:

Twisted Wonderland

Tag Key:

reblogg :>‐ reblog

lina makes lines- art done by me

I'm so happy, I actually got Silver on my third pull 😭

He's so gorgeous I literally cANNOT-